DARYL Back Where He Belongs
by DavidChipman
Summary: This story starts where the movie D.A.R.Y.L. 1985, ends. Please Read & Review!
1. Homecoming

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Homecoming

The sun had risen about 1-2 hours before, into the clear blue sky, and was shining warmly down on the pair of families that tightly clustered together on the Richardson's front lawn. Joyce Richardson, Daryl's adoptive mother, cried tears of joy, at his return, seemingly from the dead. Daryl had been found floating face-down, and seemingly unconscious, in a nearby lake. They had left him in the emergency room of the local hospital, since he seemed beyond hope. Now everybody was back together again, just as Dr. Stewart had told them they would be. Joyce Richardson put Daryl down, so he was standing on the lawn.

Joyce took a deep breath, as she knelt down and embraced him, saying softly, "Welcome home, Daryl,"

"Thank you very much…, Mom," Daryl softly replied, as he snugly embraced Joyce.

Joyce sniffed, "You're _welcome_, Daryl,"

After a moment, Andy Richardson stood up from the group, saying, "Uh, why don't we all go into the house?"

"Well, actually," Elaine Fox, Turtle's mother said, "I should probably be getting Turtle off to school soon,"

Turtle wailed, looking back over his shoulder, almost stricken, "_Mom! _Not _yet!_"

Elaine gave her son a quick squeeze around the shoulder, "Not right away, but _pretty soon_,"

Turtle sighed, nodding, "OK,"

"Joyce?" Andy said, "Do people want to go inside?"

Joyce nodded, as she stood up, holding Daryl's hand, looking at the other adults, then Turtle, "Me and Daryl will probably be here all day, so don't worry Turtle,"

"Me and Howie should probably get the kids off to school," Elaine said.

Howie nodded in agreement, glancing at Sheri Lee Fox, "Sheri Lee, can you take Turtle back home? We'll be there in a second,"

Sheri Lee nodded, then headed in the direction of their family's house, "Let's go Turtle,"

Turtle set off glumly after Sheri Lee, "See ya, Daryl. After school?"

Daryl nodded, "OK, that sounds good Turtle," Daryl looked up at Joyce, "What's wrong with Turtle, Mom?"

"I _think_," Joyce replied, momentarily surprised by Daryl's manner of speaking, "Someone wants to be with their friend _instead_ of going to school,"

Daryl raised a worried eye-brow, "But isn't school important?"

Joyce almost laughed, "Well, of _course_ it is! That doesn't mean that most kids _want _to go… _Especially_ when they have a 'reason' _not_ to,"

"Oh, like me coming home?" Daryl asked tentatively.

Joyce nodded, "Yes,"

"I'm sorry,"

Joyce shook her head, "Don't be silly, Daryl,"

"Silly?" Daryl asked, confused.

"Well, since you just got home, I think Turtle wants to be with you right now." Joyce said, trying to explain.

"Oh, I want to be with him too," Daryl said somewhat earnestly.

"Well," Joyce said, "He'll certainly be back after school, Maybe _you_ can go tomorrow too-But now, how about _I_ make _you_ some breakfast!"

Daryl grinned, heading for the kitchen, "I'll do it,-"

Joyce quickly put her hand on Daryl's shoulder, "No, Daryl, _I_ will,"

"Oh, OK, mom…-" Daryl said.

"You just sit at the table then, OK?"

Daryl nodded, heading for his spot at the table, "What about you and An-I mean, Dad?"

"Well, don't worry. We had breakfast before Turtle's mother came over, saying you were found _in_ Blue Lake," Joyce flashed Daryl a worried glance, remembering her reaction when Elaine came over at a run, banging frantically on wood of their kitchen screen-door to announce that Daryl had been found and that Sheri Lee was calling from the hospital. Joyce was now busy getting out a breakfast of cereal, milk and juice, "Want anything more?"

Daryl shook his head, "No, thank you-Are you OK, Mom?"

Joyce brought over the things for Daryl's breakfast, and sat down beside him at the table. Joyce knew, almost instinctively, that no matter how seemingly-tall a tale she was about to hear it would be the truth, "How did you get _into_ Blue Lake?"

While Daryl poured himself cereal and milk, he started to calmly tell Joyce about his escape from TASCOM, with the assistance of Dr. Jeffrey Stewart…

Joyce had more trouble than Daryl remaining calm as the story unfolded, suddenly but softly exclaiming, "-You did **_what_**, with Dr. Stewart's car?"

Daryl shrugged (having put the milk down already), but he was beginning to look nervous, "At least I _think_ it-"

Joyce glowered, almost snapping, "_That_ is _not_ the _point!_"

Daryl was visibly confused, "But-"

"No, Daryl!-You could have been badly hurt. You could have injured somebody else-What happened to Dr. Stewart?"

Daryl's glance fell to the table, "He was shot when we went through a road-block,"

"_What_ road-block?"

Daryl explained about the road-block.

Joyce wasn't angry, but she was surprised, and _slightly_ impressed at Daryl's inventiveness, "You took the keys, CB-radio-mike, and fuses, from a state trooper's car?"

Daryl nodded, grinning sheepishly, "So he couldn't come after us, or get help-"

"But who shot Dr. Stewart?"

Daryl frowned, as he explained about the second Trooper, finishing softly, with tears in his eye's, whimpering, "He shot Dr. Stewart,"

Joyce embraced Daryl, "Oh _Daryl!_It's alright. He died trying to save you,"

"I know he did," Daryl softly sobbed, nodding.

"Oh, Daryl! It's OK," Joyce stood Daryl up, and held him close to her.

Daryl softly wept, his head resting over her shoulder.

Joyce tried to comfort Daryl, "You loved him, didn't you?"

Daryl nodded, his face streaked with tears, blubbering, "Yes, I did. I'll miss him,"

"Daryl, as long as you don't forget him, then he'll always be with you," Joyce said reassuringly, lightly taping Daryl on the side of the head with her index finger, "And one thing I'm sure of, he's given you a good memory, so I doubt you will,"

Daryl smiled, still sniffling, "Thank you, Mom,"

Joyce patted Daryl on the back, then released her embrace, "No problem. Now have your breakfast before it gets too soggy,"

Daryl sat down, and started eating his breakfast.

"Now, finally, how did you get into the lake?"

Daryl told Joyce about stealing the spy-plane from the air-base close to where Dr. Stewart had lost his life, about the low-altitude and sound-barrier-breaking trip, and finally bailing out of the plane over Blue Lake just before the plane exploded.

Joyce managed to stay calm while he told the last part of the story, "Put the dishes in the dishwasher, when you're done, OK?" Joyce said, as she left to head to the front room of the house to get ready for her first piano student.

"OK," Daryl finished his breakfast, and cleaned-up after himself. Daryl then went up-stairs to wash up, then went to his room to watch videos on his TV and read.


	2. Surprise Visit Request

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Surprise Visit Request

As the morning went on, Daryl occasionally listened to the children practising their piano playing. Someone was ringing the doorbell.

"Daryl! Can you answer the door please?", Joyce called from downstairs.

Daryl quickly got up, and ran downstairs and opened the front door, looking out on an empty front step, "Nobody's here, Mom,"

Joyce put a hand on the arm of the little girl sitting beside her on the piano-bench, "One second, Polly," then she got up and went to the front door, finding something on the welcome-mat, "What's this," she asked, reading the envelope after picking it up, "'The Richardson's'", Joyce opened the envelope and found a single sheet of folded lined paper, she took took from the envelope, and started to read…

"Mrs. Richardson?" Polly said, still sitting on the piano-bench.

"I'll be there in a sec, Pollyanna," Joyce said, somewhat distractedly.

"What is it, Mom?" Daryl asked.

Joyce held out the paper to Daryl, "It's from Dr. Lamb. She wants to meet with us as soon as possible,"

Daryl took the paper from Joyce's hand, "Is there something for me?"

"She says she needs to see you, as well," Joyce said.

Daryl didn't hide his surprise, "I thought she was done, at the hospital, this morning!"

Joyce quickly put her hand on Daryl's shoulder, "Look, we'll find out what all this is about, but I have some other things to do right now. OK? Now don't worry,"

Daryl noticeably relaxed, "OK, Mom,"

"Alright, I'll call you down for lunch in a little while, OK?"

Daryl nodded, "OK, Mom," as he headed back upstairs.

Joyce returned to working with Polly.

Daryl returned to watching videos and reading.

After a while, Joyce was calling from downstairs, "Daryl! I've made lunch for you! Come and get it!"

Daryl was soon pounding down the stairs, "Thank you, Joyce,"

"Oh, no problem Daryl,-" Joyce said, slightly taken aback at hearing him using her name again, "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, Joyce,"

"Um, Daryl, you've been calling me 'Mom' all morning, now you're using my name again. What's wrong?"

Daryl shook his head, "Nothing, Joyce,"

"Daryl… Something isn't right, that's for sure. Why are you using my name, all of a sudden?" Joyce said, putting an hand on Daryl's shoulder.

Daryl shrugged, "Nothings wrong,"

Joyce sighed, taking her hand away, "OK, Daryl. Maybe Dr. Lamb will be able to explain…"

Daryl shrugged, "Maybe,"

Joyce nodded, "Well, have your lunch, then I'll call Dr. Lamb, OK?"

Daryl nodded, "OK, Joyce," then he took a bite from his sandwich.

Joyce tried to ignore her feelings of unease at how Daryl was speaking to her, as she started eating her lunch, across the kitchen-table from Daryl.

Daryl and Joyce quickly finished their lunches.

Joyce got up, and headed out into the hall, "Time to call Dr. Lamb, see why she needs to see us so badly," Joyce said over her shoulder.

Daryl nodded, getting up, and taking his dishes to the sink to start washing them, "OK, Joyce,"

Joyce simply acknowledged Daryl's reply with a nod, as she started dialling the number on the note, dropped through the mail-slot:

555-1313

Somebody was on the line in a moment, the person at the motel's front desk, "Hello, Barkenton Inn, how may I redirect your call?"

"Extension #4, please," Joyce said into the phone mouthpiece.

"Thank you, Ma'am," the operator replied.

Joyce nodded, not saying a word.

Soon Dr. Ellen Lamb's voice could be heard on the line, "Hello?"

Joyce thought she recognized the voice from somewhere, "Oh, hello, Dr. Lamb. It's Joyce Richardson, Daryl's adoptive mother. You left a note for us this morning, saying you needed to meet with us, as–soon–as–possible?"

Dr. Lamb could almost be heard nodding over the phone-line, saying somewhat earnestly, "Yes, Mrs. Richardson. There are some things I need to see you, your husband, and Daryl about—and the sooner–the–better, especially for Daryl,"

"Oh my goodness!" Joyce exclaimed softly, "What's the problem?"

"I don't know if I want to be explaining about it over the phone, but can I see the three of you this evening?"

"Daryl _has_ been acting strangely for about the past half-hour or so,"

"How has he been acting?"

"Well, when he got home, he was calling me Mom, the way he did during our visit to TA-"

"Don't mention it!", Dr. Lamb said urgently.

"What?" Joyce was genuinely surprised.

"The place where we created him. Don't mention it, _please!_"

"What–on–Earth?—" Joyce didn't hide her sudden confusion.

"Please, your phone isn't a safe way to communicate about these things—I'm sorry, but it _isn't_,"

"But you know what I'm talking about, right?"

"Yes, I _certainly_ do. It was while watching you, your husband, and Daryl's friends' interaction with Daryl, in our lab, that I realized that he was more than we had originally created—or even _intended_ to create,"

"He was living in a lab?—his 'bedroom', where we visited him, was just a _laboratory_?"

"Well, part of one—Now, _how_ has he been acting, again?"

"Well, when I called him down for lunch he had stopped calling me 'Mom', he was using my first name again, like he did when we first had him, but he didn't seem to notice,"

"Oh…," Dr. Lamb said, almost absent-mindedly.

"Doctor?" Joyce asked Dr. Lamb, wondering about the importance of what she was saying.

"How soon can I meet with you, at least you and Daryl?" Dr. Lamb asked, with urgency slowly creeping into her voice.

"What about my husband?" Joyce asked, not quite understanding.

"I _hope_ I can rely on you to pass any information along to him," Dr. Lamb said, "It won't be anything _too_ complicated, I _assure_ you,"

"Oh?"

"No, just simple instructions that I need to give you and your husband about Daryl—but please, how _soon_?" Dr. Lamb asked somewhat impatiently.

"Well, I have piano students coming all afternoon… How about five-fifteen?"

Dr. Lamb sighed, evidently disappointed, "Alright, five-fifteen it is then,"

"Anything I should do before?" Joyce asked, but unsure as to why.

"Make sure Daryl has an early supper. This is probably going to be an _early_ night for him,"

"Oh?" Trying not to let her confusion seep into her voice.

"I'll explain _everything_ when I get there—_please_, don't worry," Dr. Lamb said, trying to sound as reassuring as she could.

"Alright… Dr. Lamb. I _guess_ I can look forward to seeing you late this afternoon then," Joyce said, "Good–bye,"

"Good–bye, Mrs. Richardson," Dr. Lamb hung–up her end of the phone.


	3. Eating Early

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Eating Early

Joyce hung–up the phone, then slowly sat down on the chair by the phone–table, "Oh my _goodness_…,"

"Joyce?" Daryl said, coming out into the hallway, "What's going on?"

The doorbell rang, "Oh," Joyce said, absent-mindedly standing up, "I've got another student now. Why don't you head back upstairs, Daryl? OK?"

Daryl nodded, heading for the stairs, "OK, Joyce,"

Joyce tried to smile warmly, "OK, I'll call you down for supper later,"

Daryl nodded, as he headed back up to his room.

Joyce answered the door, and she had her first student of the afternoon.

Daryl spent the afternoon watching videos, but seemingly without much interest.

Joyce called from downstairs, about four-thirty in the afternoon, "Daryl! Time for supper!"

Daryl quickly came downstairs, "This early, Joyce?"

Joyce nodded, "Yes, Daryl. Dr. Lamb is coming over earlier than planned. She said you should be almost ready to go to bed while she's here,"

Daryl entered the kitchen, "Why, Joyce?"

"We're worried about you, Daryl. Calling me by my first name, again, and all that," Joyce sat down across from Daryl at the kitchen table, she pointed to the plate with the diagonally-sliced grill cheese sandwich and slices of cucumber on it, "Eat up, Daryl. What would you like to drink?"

Daryl started eating, nodding at her question, he stopped eating and swallowed, "Milk, please?"

Joyce smiled, pouring milk for him, "Of course,"

Daryl smiled, picking up the glass, "Thank you, Joyce,"

Joyce smiled, "Now, drink up. Dr. Lamb should be here soon…"

Daryl drank the milk at a comfortable-pace, then put the glass done, "Thank you, Joyce,"

"No problem, Daryl. You want desert?"

Daryl nodded, "Yes, please, Joyce. Chocolate ice-cream?"

Joyce nodded, getting a bowl out, then getting the tub of ice-cream out of the freezer, "One bowl of ice-cream, coming up!"

Daryl smiled, "Thank you, Joyce,"

Joyce put the bowl of ice-cream down in front of Daryl, and got him a spoon, "There you go. Now eat up!"

Daryl started eating his ice-cream.


	4. House Call

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

House Call

Someone was knocking at the front-door.

"OK, Daryl. You finish your ice-cream while I go see who's at the door. OK?" Joyce said, standing up from her chair at the table.

Daryl simply nodded, as he continued to eat, otherwise uninterrupted.

"Be back in a sec," she said, leaving the kitchen, and entering the main hall, to answer the front door.

"Mrs. Richardson, thank you for seeing me with such short notice like this", Dr. Lamb could be heard saying apologetically.

Someone was closing the front-door, "No problem, Dr. Lamb. I thought I recognized your voice on the phone. Daryl's in the kitchen, finishing up his supper,"

Joyce reappeared in the kitchen, followed by Dr. Lamb, "Daryl, guess who's here?"

Daryl was just about to start washing the dishes from his supper, when he turned from the sink, "Hello, Dr. Lamb,"

"Daryl, you can leave your dishes for one of us; me or dad to clean, alright?" Joyce said, come over to his side.

"Hello, Daryl, "Dr. Lamb said, "I see you're being very helpful,"

Daryl put his plate and bowl in the drying rack, next to the sink.

Joyce sighed, nodding, "Was he _this_ helpful at TASCOM?"

"Well, we did these things for him. We think his helpfulness developed while he was at the Barkenton Child Care Facility," Dr. Lamb explained.

Joyce nodded, "I guess at the orphanage the kids were expected to share tasks and things,"

"If he was asked to do so, he certainly would have," Dr. Lamb explained.

Joyce nodded in agreement, "Dr. Lamb, you said you needed to meet with us, but you couldn't explain why on the phone. Would you like to sit with us in the living room, and explain?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, pointing towards the front of the house, "It's just out here on the left?"

Joyce nodded, "Yes, doctor. Come on, Daryl,"

Daryl followed Joyce, who followed Dr. Lamb, to the living room at the front of the house.

Dr. Lamb stood by the sofa, waiting for Joyce and Daryl.

Joyce indicated the sofa with her hand, "Please, sit down,"

Dr. Lamb sat down on the sofa, followed by Joyce, and Daryl between them.

"So, what's going on, doctor?" Joyce said, looking around Daryl, to the computer scientist.

"Well, Daryl needs to download what's been added to his memory since he left TASCOM," Dr. Lamb said.

"Hasn't he been able to?" Joyce asked.

Dr. Lamb sighed, "General Graycliffe, who neither of you have met, decided to shut down his systems at TASCOM. He thought we were deactivating Daryl,"

"Deactivating? You mean, _killing?_" Joyce exclaimed.

Dr. Lamb nodded with a sigh, "Dr. Stewart didn't want to do it. Since soon after we got Daryl back, he soon started noticing the things that Dr. Mulligan had noticed,"

"Who was Dr. Mulligan? Another researcher?" Joyce asked.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "He was the first person to get Daryl out of our lab. _He _began to notice Daryl developing affection for him. In retrospect, it sometimes seemed to be mutual," she smiled wistfully.

"When did _you_ notice things?" Joyce asked.

"After watching your interaction with him at TASCOM," Dr. Lamb said, "But I had already reported Dr. Stewart to our funding organization. They came that evening, demanding that Daryl be destroyed,"

"Reported him for what?" Joyce asked.

"For letting you visit TASCOM," Dr. Lamb said.

Joyce frowned, "_Dr. Stewart_ contacted us, Dr. Lamb. Through the child care facility,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I know. I was there when he decided to do it,"

"Why did you report him?" Joyce asked.

"I'm sorry, but he really shouldn't have allowed your visit, but Daryl had _asked_ to see you. He felt he couldn't deny Daryl his final wish," Dr. Lamb said simply, unable to look at Joyce.

"But after our visit?" Joyce asked softly, trying not to judge Dr. Lamb for what she had done.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "As I said, my opinions changed after seeing how he interacted with the three of you. I knew we had created something more than we had intended. We couldn't destroy him,"

Joyce nodded emphatically, "Of course not!", and gave Daryl a squeeze around the shoulders, he barely responded.

Dr. Lamb watched Joyce and Daryl, quickly saying, deciding to change the subject, "Maybe it's time I got my stuff out of my car and brought it in. Then we can set it up in his bedroom,"

Joyce nodded, "OK, Dr. Lamb. I guess Daryl should go up and start getting ready for bed?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, thinking, "He should have been ready for bed before I came!", she replied calmly, "Yes, that would be a good idea,"

Joyce nodded, standing up, "Well, up you go, Daryl,"

Daryl got up with a nod, and headed upstairs.

Dr. Lamb got up and walked out to her car.

Joyce walked upstairs, and found Daryl's bedroom door closed. Joyce rested against the upstairs banister, her arms lightly crossed, watching the door and waiting.

After a few moments, Dr. Lamb could be heard coming back into the house,

Joyce looked over the banister, hearing Dr. Lamb struggling up the stairs, "Would you like some help?"

Dr. Lamb paused on the landing, shaking her head, "No thanks, I'm almost there,"

Joyce nodded, as Dr. Lamb started up the final few steps, "What have you brought?"

Dr. Lamb put the two cases down, one on either side of her, "Test equipment, to find out what's wrong with Daryl,"

"What are they?" Joyce asked suspiciously, pointing at the cases.

"Well," Dr. Lamb said, hefting the briefcase, "in here we have some communications equipment which I can use to communicate with Daryl's brain directly, and in here," she said, patting the cubic metallic case on her other side, "we have a disk drive,"

"Joyce?" Daryl said, sticking his head around his bedroom door. Daryl was wearing his pyjamas'.

"Oh, already for bed then?" Joyce asked.

Daryl nodded.

"We can come in then, right?" Joyce asked.

Daryl nodded, opening the door wide.

Dr. Lamb stuck her head through the doorway, and looked around the immaculate room, saying warmly, "This looks very nice Daryl,"

"Thank you," Daryl said, without emotion.

Dr. Lamb rested a hand on Daryl's shoulder, "Do you know who I am?"

"No," Daryl said flatly, "but you were very kind just now,"

Joyce looked from Daryl to Dr. Lamb, with a shocked expression.

Dr. Lamb remained outwardly calm, "It's going to be alright, Mrs. Richardson. Can you get my cases open, please? I'll help Daryl get into bed,"

Joyce nodded slowly, following Dr. Lamb as she took Daryl gently by the arm, and led him over to his bed.

Dr. Lamb pulled back the covers on Daryl's bed. She then helped him to turn around, and sit down on the edge of the bed.

Joyce struggled somewhat to get the large briefcase open. Once opened, a folded miniature parabolic dish with a stand spilled out of the padded interior. All that was left inside was a small computer console, still strapped inside, "What this stuff?", she softly asked.

"Some communications equipment," Dr. Lamb said, helping-a now unresponsive-Daryl swing his legs up, and turn him, so he could lay on the bed, "Please open the other case. You just unlock the latches, and lift the top off with the handle,"

Joyce nodded, then started to release the four latches, one on each side of the box, "There we go, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, starting to lay the covers over Daryl, up under his arms, "lift the top of the case,"

Joyce gingerly lifted the case revealing a medium-sized red cube with a squat smoked-plastic cylinder on top. There were two handles on opposite sides. Inside the cylinder you could see several disks, and arms parked just off to the side of the disks, "This is a disk?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, standing up, "Lift it off the bottom of its crate, and put it on the ground. Be very careful, though,"

"Uh," Joyce almost stammered, "I think I'll let you do that, when you're ready?"

Dr. Lamb sighed, and nodded. She certainly knew how bulky and delicate it was.

Joyce stood back, waiting for Dr. Lamb.

Dr . Lamb came over, grabbing a handle in each hand, then gingerly lifting the device from the padded bottom of its case. She gently set the device down on the floor, beside Daryl's desk, unplugging the TV/VCR.

Joyce relaxed, "That didn't look too hard,"

"Well, I understand your nervousness," Dr. Lamb said reassuringly, "I had said things were delicate,"

Joyce smiled weakly, "Thanks,"

Dr. Lamb smiled warmly, "No problem. Now let's see what's wrong with this young man," she retrieved the computer from the briefcase, and opened it on her lap once she was kneeling down beside Daryl's bed.

Joyce frowned, and nodded, "OK, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb typed on the keyboard:

Hello, Daryl

There was a reply on the screen:

Who is this?

Dr. Lamb typed on the keyboard:

Daryl, this is Dr. Lamb

There was a reply:

Hello, Dr. Lamb. Where am I?

Dr. Lamb entered:

That doesn't matter right now.

Display ORGANIC Sector status, please

The computer in Daryl's head displayed its reply on Dr. Lamb's portable computer:

TELEMETRY UPLINK Unavailable

LIFEBOAT MODE ACTIVATED (CURR. DURATION: APPROX. 7 Hours)

CODE/DATA ADDRESS OVERLAP: 20

Dr. Lamb whistled, soft and low, and shook her head in wonder.

"Doctor?" Joyce said, as nervously she looked.

"Yes, Mrs. Richardson?" Dr. Lamb asked, as she quickly came to a decision about what had to be done.

"What's going on there?"

Dr. Lamb quickly became all-business, "I'll explain later, I promise-Well, we can't waste any more time now," she started giving Joyce rapid-fire instructions, "The dish's reflector is folded up, like an umbrella. It's not too hard to open. It's supported on tripod-legs, which you can see are also folded. Place it opened on Daryl's desk, please, and point it toward his head,"

Joyce quickly nodded, and started to get the dish set up.

Dr. Lamb watched Joyce setting things up. She plugged her computer into the disk-drive. There wasn't much else she could do until Joyce had the dish set up.

Joyce pointed the dish roughly in Daryl's direction, "There, I think,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Good first try. We'll get it aimed properly once I've hooked it up to the disk drive," she plugged the dish into the disk-drive. Dr. Lamb slightly adjusted the aim of the dish, until the computer started beeping rapidly, "There we go. Much better,"

"Doctor? What's going on?" Joyce looked at the dish nervously.

"Well, now things are aimed properly," Dr. Lamb said, as she pressed the RETURN key, and the beeping stopped. Dr. Lamb entered into the computer:

display ORGANIC sector status

Daryl's computer displayed an updated reply:

TELEMETRY UPLINK Established (low Power)

LIFEBOAT MODE ACTIVATED (CURR. DURATION: APPROX. 7 Hours)

CODE/DATA ADDRESS OVERLAP: APPROX. 20

Dr. Lamb entered one long command into the computer:

dump data over telemetry uplink while

Marking dumped addresses for overwrite then  
Restore overlapped code from telemetry uplink

The disk-drive started to click and whir softly, the red LED on the corner at the top, started blinking rapidly.

Daryl's computer brain replied:

Performing requested tasks (EST. Completion TIME: approx. 8 hours)

Daryl's body suddenly relaxed, his eyes snapped closed, and he started snoring softly.

Dr. Lamb helped Daryl roll onto his side, she said softly, "Good night, Daryl," then she closed her computer, and put it back in the briefcase.

"That's it?" Joyce asked, getting testy and sarcastic, "That's _all_ you wanted _us_ to do? I _hope_ not _every_ night!"

Dr. Lamb sighed, as she stood up, "I know, Mrs. Richardson. That probably seemed like I was doing a lot, didn't it?"

Joyce nodded, "I don't understand even _half_ of it!"

Dr. Lamb nodded, understanding, saying, as she gently took Joyce by the arm, "I certainly have some more things to explain to you. Can we go back down stairs, Mrs. Richardson?"

Joyce nodded, almost dumbly, as she was led out of Daryl's room.

Dr. Lamb said simply, "Don't worry, Mrs. Richardson. Daryl's been taken care of for tonight,"

Joyce tried to relax, as she was led downstairs, and into her living-room.

"Please, sit down, Mrs. Richardson," Dr. Lamb said gently.

Joyce slowly sat down on the couch in the living-room, "What did you want _us_ to do, doctor?"

"What I wanted you to do was dump his memories from his internal memory to the disk drive. It doesn't take nearly as much to do that as what you saw tonight. Most of what I was doing was testing Daryl to see what exactly was wrong with him. Also I was getting his repair set in motion," Dr. Lamb said.

"OK, what was wrong with him, then?" Joyce asked.

"Well, since Daryl couldn't communicate with our systems at TASCOM, his memory was filling up, I may have already mentioned that, but it gets a bit more complicated," Dr. Lamb watched Joyce's reactions carefully, "Daryl is set up so that his program is stored at the 'bottom' of his internal memory, while his experiences fill the memory from the top-down. If they can't be transferred to the machines at TASCOM, there would come a time when they would overlap, and his experiences would start 'eating-away', so to speak, at his programming, When that happens, Daryl enters what we have labelled 'Lifeboat Mode'. He's just trying to maintain his functioning. It's a sort of survival-instinct mental-state, if you will. That's most likely why he started calling you Joyce again. He had lost all recollection of calling you Mom," Dr. Lamb realized that her bed-side-manner may not have been as could as it could be, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Richardson. After tonight Daryl will be better, I assure you,"

"What do _we_ have to do for him?" Joyce asked anxiously.

"Make sure his memory gets transferred to the disk-drive every night," Dr. Lamb said.

"And, among all the things you did tonight, what would do that?" Joyce asked.

"Setting up the small dish, as I showed you, then entering 'dump data over telemetry uplink', and press the return key on the computer," Dr. Lamb said.

"We'll need that computer you have, then," Joyce said.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I'll leave it and the dish with you. Keep them out-of-sight when you're not using them, Mrs. Richardson,"

Joyce sighed and nodded.

Someone could be heard coming in the front door. Andy could be heard calling from the front hall, "Joyce? Daryl?"

Joyce quickly got up, and walked out into the hall, "Have a good day, Andy?"

Andy nodded, "Yeah, it was alright. Whose car is that out-front?"

Dr. Lamb walked out of the living-room, holding her hand out, "Hello, Mr. Richardson. I'm Dr. Lamb. The car is mine. Do you remember me?"

Andy nodded, as he looked from Dr. Lamb to Joyce, saying slowly, "What's… going… on, Joyce?"

Joyce quickly took Andy's hands, saying, "Andy, Dr. Lamb dropped a note through our mail-slot about mid-morning, requesting a meeting between us, Daryl, and her. Daryl started acting strangely around noon, which made contacting her more urgent than ever. Dr. Lamb was able to come over about five this afternoon, so here she is,"

Andy looked perplexed at Joyce, "What did he start doing around noon?"

"Well, remember this morning, he was calling me 'Mom'?" Joyce reminded her husband.

Andy nodded, "Yeah,"

"Well, he started calling me 'Joyce' again, as if nothing had happened," Joyce explained.

Andy nodded, more-or-less understanding what his wife was saying, then he turned to Dr. Lamb, "Now why did you want to meet with us in the first place? I thought things were all settled this morning…,"

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "When Daryl showed up, without Dr. Stewart, I figured something was wrong, so I needed to meet with you,"

"Dr. Stewart is dead, Dr. Lamb," Joyce said softly.

Dr. Lamb blanched, stricken, "Jeffrey is dead? What-? When did this happen?"

Joyce nodded sympathetically, taking Dr. Lamb's hands in hers, "Yes. I'm so sorry, but Daryl said he was shot at a road-block,"

"When did Daryl say this?" Dr. Lamb asked, suspiciously disbelieving.

"This morning, when he seemed to be still thinking-straight," Joyce said.

"But who would do that?" Dr. Lamb asked, her voice shaking, as tears filled her eyes.

Joyce sighed, "Apparently, a state trooper,"

Dr. Lamb buried her face in her hands, softly wailing, "Oh, My God! No!"

Joyce quickly and gently embraced Dr. Ellen Lamb, "I'm so sorry… Were you… close?"

"Husband and wife!" Dr. Lamb croaked miserably.

Joyce's draw dropped, as she looked at Andy, then turned back to Dr. Lamb, speaking slowly, calmly, "Oh, Lord. Did Daryl have parents?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, sobbing, "Certainly-He was our boy,"

Joyce looked to Andy, then back to Dr. Lamb again, "Why did you put a computer into your son's head? Did it completely replace his brain?"

"We always intended to put the computer in Daryl's head. Believe it or not, it was the main reason I got pregnant with him," Dr. Lamb said, trying to regain control, "Yes it did replace his brain,"

"Was Dr. Jeffrey Stewart supposed to do something for him before his brain started shutting-down?" Joyce asked.

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "He didn't take any equipment with him. He didn't know that everything was going to be deactivated,"

Andy looked at Joyce with surprise, "Wha-?"

"That's why, according to Dr. Lamb here, why Daryl started calling me Joyce again," Joyce explained to her husband.

"Mr. Richardson," Dr. Lamb started explaining, "Daryl needed the systems at TASCOM to be running for him. TASCOM, however, is being shut down-"

"But," Andy blurted, "that would kill him, wouldn't it? Effectively?"

Dr. Lamb nodded solemnly, "Eventually, that would basically be the effect it would have on him. That is, if I hadn't visited this afternoon. Mr. Richardson, I've explained it all to your wife,"

There was a vaguely insistent knock at the front door.


	5. An Unexpected Visitor

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

An Unexpected Visitor

Joyce got up, and went to answer the door.

There was a lean man. He seemed youngish to be wearing a general's uniform, but he was standing ram-rod-straight, as he looked through the window of the front-door. He seemed not quite sure if he had the right house.

Dr. Lamb followed her close behind, worried about who it might be. She immediately recognized who it was, and almost panicked, "General Graycliffe?"

Joyce was opening the door before she could react, but quickly turned to Dr. Lamb, "This is the general?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, almost feeling faint. She quickly sat on the bottom steps, leading upstairs.

"Please," General Lyford Graycliffe said, sticking his head around the opened door, "may I come in? I have some news for all of you,"

Andy had followed Dr. Lamb out into the hall, especially after her shocked reaction.

Joyce looked to Andy for support.

"What news, general?" Andy asked.

"Good or bad?" Joyce tried.

"You will find most of it is _good_," General Graycliffe said, taking his cap off, and sticking it under an arm.

Joyce sighed in resignation, and opened the door to let General Graycliffe enter, "Come in, then,"

General Graycliffe looked to Joyce gratefully, as he entered, standing straight. He stopped beside the door.

Joyce closed the door, "Alright?"

General Graycliffe nodded, "I'll cut-to-the-chase, seeing as I have caused a stir already," he looked to the others, who didn't take their eye's off him, "TASCOM is _not_ being shut down," thinking to himself, "It's amazing what the mention of morality can do to the decisions of a Republican administration,"

General Graycliffe took a breath, "While what has happened so far is not directly useful, we consider it a great start and it will be continued," looking at Joyce and Andy, he said, " In present company, I can't say much more than that, except there won't be much directly affecting the boy,"

Dr. Lamb's jaw dropped, " What about Daryl?"

"He can stay with the Richardsons," General Graycliffe turning back to Andy and Joyce, flashing them momentary smiles, "but we may want him to come back to TASCOM on occasion, for short visits—We do want, and need, to know how he's become alive, so it can be prevented in future,"

"One of us should be there with him," Joyce said, referring to Andy and herself.

General Graycliffe nodded, exhaling, " I understand,"

"General, why the change in attitude?" Dr. Lamb asked, with genuine surprise in her voice.

General Graycliffe looked directly at Dr. Lamb, " Have you mentioned Daryl's telemetry recording ability, doctor?"

Dr. Lamb nodded.

General Graycliffe sighed, wondering whether that had been such a good idea, " I was reviewing the videos from his perspective, along with the room security cameras, and noticed different behaviours, before his disappearance and after," General Graycliffe said, " I asked some of the technicians about the values shown on the information screen, and they mentioned that he seemed to be recording emotions, along with the other senses that he logged,"

Dr. Lamb nodded.

Joyce pointed towards the living room, " General, please come and and sit down with us,"

General Graycliffe went to the living room, followed by the others, sitting down on the couch where the three others had been, "They pointed out his change during the baseball game, where he was rude to you," General Graycliffe said, looking at Joyce.

Joyce nodded, smiling wistfully, thinking about her feelings of inadequacy as a mother she'd had, since Daryl seemingly didn't need anybody, " I didn't know whether to scold or praise him. I was just happy that he wasn't perfect,"

"Yes, well, we know where he probably got most of that from. I believe, he goes by the name 'Turtle'?" Dr. Lamb said, somewhat darkly.

Joyce sighed, "What happened?"

"This boy somehow knew that Daryl's behaviour was strange, in fact he seemed to realize how grown-ups felt about Daryl's perfect behaviour. He told Daryl that it's OK to make mistakes. Apparently, one of Daryl's first 'mistakes' , was talking back to you," Dr. Lamb said.

Joyce nodded.

"He was just doing what his friend suggested—Make mistakes because grown-ups need to feel needed. How his friend ever guessed something like _that_, I have no idea," Dr. Lamb said.

"As odd as it may seem, but Turtle's parents both work in social-services with children, he may be picking up bits of knowledge about grown-ups—," Joyce said, until Andy gave her and odd look, But that's just a guess,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Turtle did seem somewhat put-off by Daryl's behaviour at times,"

Joyce looked surprised, "But I didn't think he'd noticed anything odd, about Daryl's behaviour,"

"That may have been because Turtle was fairly direct with Daryl when issues came up," Dr. Lamb said, "As far as we can tell, it seems never spoke to any adults about it,"

"OK," Joyce nodded, " with TASCOM not being shut-down, what's going to happen with Daryl? General, you said he could stay with us, but what about his need to store-and-clear his memory? We have him upstairs in bed, storing his experiences on a—What did you call it, doctor?"

"A DASD, or direct-access-storage-device,"

Joyce nodded, "Oh, OK,"

Andy glanced at Joyce.

"Basically, or so Dr. Lamb here says, it's like a big computer disk. It looks more like a bar fridge to me, but anyhow," Joyce said, in reply to her husband's expression.

"Well, he won't be needing it here now," Dr. Lamb said, glancing at General Graycliffe.

General Graycliffe nodded, then shook his head.

"He'll be operating the same way he did when he was with you the first time," Dr. Lamb said.

Joyce and Andy nodded, more-or-less understanding.

"However, now that he's already started the transfer for tonight, he should keep going for now. I can come back in the morning to pick things up," Dr. Lamb said, as she stood up, "It's been good talking to you,"

Joyce and Andy nodded, as they stood up themselves.

General Graycliffe stood up, "Me and Dr. Lamb have some things to do back at TASCOM,"

After a moment, Dr. Lamb nodded.

Joyce and Andy nodded, "Well, good luck" , Joyce said, somewhat nervously.

"Thank you," Dr. Lamb said, smiling warmly.

General Graycliffe put his right hand out, "We look forward to working with you and Daryl,"

Andy shook the general's hand, followed by Joyce.

"See you some-time in the morning," Dr. Lamb said.

Joyce and Andy nodded again.

Andy closed the door, behind Dr. Lamb and General Graycliffe, "Well, that was interesting…,"

"What do you mean?" Joyce said, about to turn and head for the kitchen, to start making supper for the two of them.

"Why was she here, Joyce?" he said.

"You remember how, this morning, Daryl was calling me 'Mom' , don't you?" Joyce said, stopping in the door to the kitchen.

Andy nodded, "Yeah,"

"Well, around noon he started calling me Joyce, again,"

Andy raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

Joyce shrugged, "Something, apparently, to do with how he stores his experiences, when he can't contact TASCOM to store them,"

Andy nodded, "But TASCOM _isn't_ being shut-down,"

"Well," Joyce said, "the General did say they had some things to do back at TASCOM,"

Andy nodded.


	6. Return to Base

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Return to Base

"General, thank you for your change-of-heart," Dr. Lamb said, as she quickly followed General Graycliffe down the Richardson's front-steps.

"Doctor, I _do_ have some personal ethics, and it's not as if we're at war," General Graycliffe said, "TASCOM isn't a fighting unit anyhow,"

Dr. Lamb and General Graycliffe got into their cars, and drove off to the unmarked airbase, less than an hours-drive away.

General Graycliffe got out of the car he was driving and came over to Dr. Lamb's car, and opened the door, "Just leave the keys for the motor-pool,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, as she got out, "I know," then she started getting things out of the back of the car, "Can you get a trolley for me?"

General Graycliffe nodded back, then headed for the motor-pool office.

"Thanks," she said roughly, through gritted teeth, straining to haul some computer/communications gear from the trunk of the car.

General Graycliffe came back a few moments later, with a trolley-cart, "I told them to get TASCOM's jet started. We should be on our way out of here in a few moments,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, as she loaded up the trolley-cart, then caught her breath, "Good,"

"I thought you'd feel that way," he replied.

"Well, it's true. You should have seen how unnaturally he behaved this afternoon," Dr. Lamb said.

"Tell me on the plane-" , General Graycliffe nodded solemnly, "You really care about the-_boy_, don't you?"

Dr. Lamb sighed and nodded, " Yes, General, I do. Maybe I'm getting too emotionally involved, but to think we were going to 'destroy' him?" she momentarily bowed and shook her head, in disappointment at the earlier lack of sensitivity.

A lone pair of jet engines could be heard revving up out on the otherwise-quiet airbase tarmac, on the other side of the base's small terminal building.

General Graycliffe took hold of the trolley-cart's handle, saying warmly, " Let's go, doctor. We have some work ahead of us,"

Dr. Lamb nodded in agreement, and followed him into the base terminal.

Subordinates stopped, stood at attention, and saluted as General Graycliffe passed, which he casually returned as he brusquely walked through the terminal.

Dr. Lamb was close behind, ignoring the military formality.

General Graycliffe walked out the doors to the airbase flight-line, where an executive jet waited with it's engines idling, its passenger-compartment steps extended.

Dr. Lamb quickly followed General Graycliffe up the steps.

Several members of the ground-crew lifted the cases from the trolley-cart, and placed them evenly around the cabin. Then the entry-steps were pulled up by the pilot, standing just outside the cockpit door.

"We're ready whenever you are, gentlemen," General Graycliffe said, sticking his head into the cockpit, following the pilot returning to his seat.

"Yes, sir. We're refuelled and ready to go," the captain replied.

Dr. Lamb took her seat in the passenger cabin, followed by General Graycliffe, sitting across the aisle from her.

After a few moments, the plane's engine noise increased slightly in pitch and volume, and the plane started rolling toward the nearest taxiway.

"So, what happened with Daryl when you saw him this afternoon doctor?" General Graycliffe inquired.

Dr. Lamb began explaining to General Graycliffe about Daryl's outward programmatic regression.

General Graycliffe nodded, "You think this is happening because he hasn't been able to transmit his experience information to us?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I'm almost sure of it, General. He would certainly be having trouble getting it stored at TASCOM right now,"

General Graycliffe harrumphed and nodded, taking in what he was being told.

Then the plane was accelerating down the runway, it's twin turbofans shrieking at full thrust, and it quickly lifted off.

"By the way," Dr. Lamb said, "he became human by being around humans, and being taken care of by them,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "So we prevent them gaining human emotions, by staying detached from them?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "That would probably be the best method. We give them what they need through automatic devices. Very impersonal. We don't interact with them at all–And another thing, maybe we don't even start with a child. We put a computer into a grown adult,"

General Graycliffe frowned, "And how do we do that, legally?"

Dr. Lamb sighed, "Legal issues aren't my area, general… Sorry, Lyford,"

"And being called by my _first name_ by someone who is technically a _subordinate_ isn't in '_my_ area', _Doctor_," General Graycliffe said testily, glowering.

"Well, General, _whether_ you _like_ it or _not_, there may have to be some changes made to how we deal with Daryl and his family. TASCOM _may_ become more of a specialized _medical_ facility," Dr. Lamb said softly.

General Graycliffe looked at Dr. Lamb momentarily with shock, "Doctor!" he snapped angrily, "_I_ am in _command_ here!"

Dr. Lamb shrugged, "We could split it in half, couldn't we, sir? One part will be for taking care of Daryl, when he needs it, and the other will be for ongoing research and development,"

"And I suppose, at times things will end up getting shared between the two halves?" General Graycliffe enquired, trying to calm down.

Dr. Lamb shrugged, "Possibly, sir," then nodded.

"Only things that could be unclassified," General Graycliffe said.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I understand, sir,"

"Good, Doctor," he said, smiling warmly.

"General," Dr. Lamb said, somewhat sourly, "I am aware that some things will still have to be kept under-wraps from the public—including the Richardsons, and Daryl himself,"

"We can't acquire new computer equipment, doctor. How do we keep Daryl from learning things we don't want _him_ to know?" General Graycliffe said.

Dr. Lamb took a deep breath, then considered the options as she spoke, "We could partition the mainframe, keeping Daryl out of one or more of the partitions,"

"How would the system know the difference between _D.A.R.Y.L._ and this new 'device'?" General Graycliffe interjected.

Dr. Lamb sighed, thinking aloud about the work ahead of her that night, "I could change his programming to include an address- or channel-selection in his transmissions—yes a channel would probably be best. The next flesh-puppet would use the updated software from the start,"

"How long would the modification to the D.A.R.Y.L. software take?" General Graycliffe asked sombrely.

Dr. Lamb shrugged, "On the TASCOM end, I could have things done in the next couple of days to a week. But General, Daryl's internal programming, for the organic sector, is a bit more complicated, and potentially much more time consuming. We can't run the updated code on the mainframe until the organic sector code is ready to go. To do otherwise, General, would mess up the communications,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "I'll leave that work up to you then, when we get back to TASCOM, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, as she stood up, and turned for the darkened rear of the cabin, "I'm going to get some rest, sir. It looks like I have a _long_ night ahead of me, and I haven't had much rest in the past twenty-four hours or so,"

General Graycliffe nodded back, "I understand,"

"'night, sir," Dr. Lamb said, sitting down in a seat facing the back of the plane.

"Good night, doctor," General Graycliffe said, sounding tired himself. It had been a long couple of days for him, as well. He couldn't get much rest while he had been orchestrating the chasing of Daryl and Dr. Stewart.

* * *

Andy and Joyce were sitting down to have supper, when someone was heard banging on the kitchen screen-door.

"Daryl!?" Turtle could be heard calling through the screen door at the back of the kitchen.

Joyce quickly got up from the dinning-room table, and entered the kitchen, "Oh, hello, Turtle,"

"Hi, Mrs. Richardson. Where's Daryl?" Turtle asked.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid you'll have to wait until tomorrow to get together with him," Joyce said, opening the door, and sticking her head out to talk with Turtle, "It's a long story, Turtle. Can you come back in the morning, please?"

Turtle groaned, turning to head back next-door.

"Oh, Turtle," Joyce said quickly, almost forgetting, "Could you bring Sherry-Lee with you then? I'd like her to meet someone,"

"Who?" Turtle asked, stopping and almost turning back to Joyce.

"One of the scientists from TASCOM was here just a while ago. She may be interested in getting your sister's help in things she may need to do with Daryl," Joyce said.

"Aren't they _finished_ with him yet!?", Turtle exclaimed, startled, coming back to Joyce.

Joyce nodded sadly, understanding his reaction, then shook her head, "Not quite, Turtle. But they _are_ trying to help him, so don't worry,"

Turtle exhaled loudly, leaning against the door frame, "Can I tell people about Daryl?"

Joyce frowned, "You _did_ blurt things out this morning, and I understand _why_ you did it, but if you're his friend, it would be _unwise _if others heard as well Turtle. The people who created him might have to take him away from us _for good_ if others started talking about things—I hope you haven't told anybody else, Turtle…,"

Turtle's face fell, suddenly worried, "Only Sherry-Lee, this morning, before we left the house to meet him,"

"Turtle, get her, please," Joyce said.

"Now?" Turtle asked nervously.

Joyce relented, "We're just going to have supper right now," Joyce said, shaking her head, "but I'd like to see her in an hour-or-so?"

Turtle nodded, "OK, Mrs. Richardson,"

Joyce nodded, "Thank you, Turtle. Remember, tell _nobody_ else about Daryl,"

Turtle nodded, as he turned to head home, "OK, Mrs. Richardson,"

* * *

Someone was shaking General Graycliffe's shoulder, "Sir?"

General Graycliffe slowly awakened from a sound sleep, it was the air-crew captain, "Wha-What's going on? Captain?"

"I _am_ sorry, General. There is a call for you from the Army Chief of Staff, sir," The captain said.

"Did he say what he wanted?" General Graycliffe asked groggily, inwardly praying it wasn't a progress report on the capture and destruction of Daryl—it was, though in more 'coded' language.

General Graycliffe swore under his breath, glancing back at the sleeping Dr. Lamb, wondering what he was going to tell his commanding-officer, or Dr. Lamb—it was probably time for the truth as Dr. Lamb, and now he, saw it.

"He also wants to know what you're doing on the plane, sir," the captain said.

"Is it a secure connection he's on?" General Graycliffe asked, trying not to seem taken-aback.

The captain shook his head, "No, I'm sorry sir, just the communications radio,"

General Graycliffe nodded, understanding, and actually thankful for a reprieve, "OK, tell him that I will contact him as soon as we return to the base-How long until we arrive, captain?"

The captain nodded, "Yes, sir-About an hour, sir," then he returned to the cockpit.

General Graycliffe tried in vain to get back to sleep, but the best he could do was doze. Things seemed like they may be unravelling, as far as Daryl's continued freedom and existence were concerned.

After a short while, the plane started descending from it's cruising altitude.

Dr. Lamb was stirring in the back of the plane, awakened by her ears 'popping'.

General Graycliffe looked back and saw her beginning to stir, he called back, "Doctor, I think we're almost there,"

"What?" Dr. Lamb asked, looking around the back of her seat.

"We're landing, Ellen," General Graycliffe said.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "OK, sir," she looked at her watch, "9-o'clock? It feels later than that, somehow…,"

"I think, doctor, we've both had a long day, and not much rest," General Graycliffe said.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Are the lab assistants on-duty?"

General Graycliffe, "They should be, still," he paused, "If not, do you want them?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, yawning, "I doubt I'm really rested enough for doing a lot of detailed work myself right now, sir,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "As I said, long day, little rest,"

"Sir, what I plan on doing tonight, is getting the original processes on the mainframe running again, then I am going home to bed for a few hours," Dr. Lamb said, though she felt she would end up spending most of the night mourning for her husband and colleague.

"Do you want the lab assistants tonight, then?" General Graycliffe asked.

Dr. Lamb shook her head, blinking back tears, "Maybe not tonight, sir,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "Alright, doctor,"

The plane soon touched down at the base next-door to TASCOM. This had been where Daryl landed with the Dr. Lamb and Dr. Stewart when they brought him back. This was also where the Richardson's and Turtle had landed when they had come to visit, a few days before.

"We're here, General," the captain said, coming out of the cockpit, once the plane had stopped rolling to it's place on the airbase apron.

Dr. Lamb got up, "I want things brought to my car, captain,"

The captain nodded at the ground-crew who came on to the plane, "They will help you with that, doctor,"

The ground-crew started lifting packages off the floor of the cabin, and down the cabin steps, "Where is your vehicle, ma'am?"

"Come with me," Dr. Lamb said, beckoning to the assembled ground-crew.

They nodded, and followed.

"General, you can drive," Dr. Lamb called over her shoulder.

General Graycliffe was bringing-up-the-rear of their small group, all heading for the base parking-lot, "Alright, doctor," he called back.

Soon they all arrived at the base parking-lot, Dr. Lamb quickly found her car, a slightly beat-up, blue Volkswagen Rabbit.

Dr. Lamb dug for her car-keys in a hip-pocket of her jeans. Quickly finding the keys, she unlocked the back, and quickly opened it. Then she looked at the ground-crew, "Thank you gentlemen, we'll take things from here," then glancing at General Graycliffe, "Sir?"

General Graycliffe nodded, approaching, "Yes, doctor?"

"Let's get things into my car, then we'll be off to the Command," Dr. Lamb said, referring to the TASCOM building by its more colloquial name.

General Graycliffe started lifting heavier pieces which were resting on the ground around the rear of Dr. Lamb's car, "You did all this earlier, didn't you?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, yawning miserably, "When I was more rested,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "I thought you'd slept,"

Dr. Lamb quickly leaned against the side of her car, wailing angrily, "Not well!!"

General Graycliffe suddenly stood up straight, "Doctor?"

Dr. Lamb turned on him, glowering with rage, "My _husband_!"

"What about—?" General Graycliffe asked, trying to keep the situation under control, but he quickly understood, "Oh, lord!–Doctor, I am _sorry_ about Jeffery. I _truly_ am!"

The ground-crew, hearing the commotion had were hurrying back.

General Graycliffe waved them away. This was something **he** _had_ to deal with.

"General," Dr. Ellen Lamb sobbed angrily, "there is _no_ way, _you_ could be as _sorry_ as I _am_,"

General Graycliffe took a deep breath, "Doctor, I am with you, but I am also afraid something has come up,"

"What, General?" Dr. Lamb snarled coldly.

"My superiors in Washington are waiting for a progress report on Daryl's destruction or capture," General Graycliffe said, feeling it was better to get things over with.

"What did you _tell_ them, _sir_?" Dr. Lamb said, trying to regain her calm.

General Graycliffe put his hands up, "I haven't told them _anything_, yet. _That_ is why they are so _anxious_ to hear from me,"

"And what are you _going_ to tell them?" Dr. Lambe enquired.

General Graycliffe deflated, "The truth, as _we_ see it,"

"Who are '_we_', sir?" Dr. Lamb asked, her head tilted to one side, enquiringly.

"You and I, Doctor. If you want to be in on the call, I'll make it on my speaker-phone, so you can be part of the conversation. It may not be easy, but we have to try, don't we?" General Graycliffe said.

Dr. Lamb nodded, starting to lift more things into the back of her car, "Yes, sir, we _certainly_ do,"

"Well," General Graycliffe said, "we should probably get things over with, with my superiors, before we start things up again,"

"What?" Dr. Lamb asked, "Why?"

"He certainly won't be expecting that we want to get the systems back up and running, and they are going to have to continue to fund things, now aren't they?" General Graycliffe said.

"What if I took things back to academia?" Dr. Lamb suggested, "Where my colleagues, including Jeffrey, and I started,"

"Do you think we'd be _able_ to let you?" General Graycliffe asked.

Dr. Lamb shrugged, trying to ignore what seemed like a veiled threat, and held out her car keys, "You're driving, remember?"

General Graycliffe nodded, taking her key's from her outstretched hand, "Yes, doctor," he said as he started for the driver-side door of her car. He stopped, partly turning back to Dr. Lamb, "You still haven't answered my question, Doctor,"

Dr. Lamb stopped on the other side of the car, about to open the door on that side, "It depends sir. Given all that has happened recently, maybe it's time to 'let-the-cat-out-of-the-bag,' so to speak, about Daryl's existence and method of functioning," then, before General Graycliffe could reply, she opened the door, and got into the passenger seat.

General Graycliffe decided to get into the car himself, before continuing the discussion, "And _how far_ should this information be allowed to go? I thought you were cooperating in terms of what Daryl and his family should know about the project's continuation,"

"Well, with that call from your superiors, it would seem things _may_ have changed, sir," Dr. Lamb said simply, "I just don't find it reasonable for us to be deciding whether he should continue to 'live' or not. There are now 'outside' people who will miss him, sir. Is it fair to them?"

General Graycliffe sat back in the seat momentarily, about to start the car, "It _may_ be out of our hands, Doctor," then he started the car, and drove off.


	7. Restoration

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Restoration

"We have to try though, don't we?" Dr. Lamb said dejectedly.

General Graycliffe nodded, "Yes, we do,"

The drive took only fifteen minutes to arrive at TASCOM. The car was met by the soldiers General Graycliffe had brought with him several days before.

General Graycliffe rolled down his drivers-side window as the soldier came out of the guardhouse, "Hello, Sargent. How have the past few hours been?"

Sargent Howard nodded at his superior, "Hello, sir. It has been quiet. Can I have your ID's please? Yours and the lady's?"

General Graycliffe and Dr. Lamb handed over their identification badges to Sargent Howard.

Sargent Howard looked over the badges comparing the faces of the people in the car with the pictures on the badges, "OK, sir," Sargent Howard said, handing the badges back, "Every thing's in order, sir,"

General Graycliffe nodded, taking back the badges, passing Dr. Lamb her badge, "Good evening, Sargent,"

"Good evening, sir," Sargent Howard said.

General Graycliffe nodded again, as he rolled up the window, and drove off.

The entrance automatic garage door on the front of the TASCOM building rolled up to admit the car.

Dr. Lamb glanced earnestly at General Graycliffe, "Let's go to the front door, there we can unload my car. Then I'll go park in my spot,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "Alright, doctor," A moment later they were at the front door of the TASCOM building.

Private Jared Martin, from the TASCOM security team, opened Dr. Lamb's door, "Evening, Doctor,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, smiling with recognition, as she got out of the car, "Evening Jared,"

General Graycliffe got out of the car on the opposite side.

Private Martin saw him, and immediately stood at attention, saluting, "Good Evening, Sir!"

General Graycliffe returned the salute, "Evening, private. As you were,"

Private Martin relaxed, "Thank you, sir,"

"Jared, who is here right now? Any regular lab staff?", Dr. Lamb asked.

Private Martin shook his head, "No, ma'am. Just those of us on the security detail. With the kid gone, there was no reason for them to be here outside of normal work hours,"

Dr. Lamb sighed, and nodded, "Thank you, Jared,"

"Private, help us get things out of the back of the doctor's car," General Graycliffe ordered.

"It's unlocked," Dr. Lamb interjected.

Private Martin opened the hatchback, and started lifting things out, "I'll need several trips, sir,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "Alright, private, take your time. We may be here most of the night,"

"Out here, sir?" Private Martin asked, somewhat nervously.

"No, son, here at TASCOM," then General Graycliffe turned to Dr. Lamb, "Will you be needing any of these things tonight, doctor?"

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "No, sir,"

General Graycliffe nodded, turning back to Private Martin, "Put these things _back_ in the boy's quarters," indicating the things, most of them Daryl's cognitive-exercise/training games.

Private Martin nodded, "Yes, sir,"

General Graycliffe looked at Dr. Lamb, "My base office, now," then he strode for the main doors.

Dr. Lamb nodded, and followed behind him.

General Graycliffe strode purposefully through TASCOM's main entrance, and headed for his office on the second floor. He exchanged salutes with the occasional soldier standing guard in the hallways and the stairwell.

Dr. Lamb, again, trailed behind him, ignoring the repeat of military formality.

General Graycliffe stopped at a door, labelled "Base Commander", and opened it.

Dr. Lamb waited until General Graycliffe was holding the door, and beckoning her to come in, "Thank you, sir," she looked around, seeing all the anteroom desks empty, "Only office hours, sir?"

General Graycliffe nodded, "Yes, doctor," then, after leading her through the anteroom, he indicated one of the seats for visitors in front of the desk in his office, "Please, Ellen, sit,"

Dr. Lamb sat down in the indicated chair.

General Graycliffe's desk was a black-and-chrome-with-laminate-wood-top affair, very government-institutional.

General Graycliffe walked around behind his desk, pulled his swivel chair back, and sat down.

On the top of the desk was a desk-set. Beside that was the speaker-phone.

General Graycliffe retrieved a key-on-a-chain from the pocket of his uniform jacket. He used the key to unlock one of the desk drawers. He opened the drawer and pulled out a thin hard-cover booklet, putting his hand up, "One moment, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb turned away.

General Graycliffe opened the book, leafing through the pages, then he stopped, scanned down the page with his index finger, then cleared his throat. General Graycliffe pressed a button on the speaker-phone, and the dial-tone droned from the speaker. General Graycliffe kept a finger on one of the lines on the current open page, carefully entering the number code under his finger into the phone keypad.

There were three short beeps from the phone, then the dial-tone returned.

"Alright, doctor," General Graycliffe said brusquely, as he quickly closed the book, put it back in the drawer, and looked the drawer shut. Then he started dialling a long-distance phone-number on the phone's keypad.

For a moment or two, the ring-tone burbled from the speaker.

"General Watson here," a deep voice brusquely replied from the speaker.

General Graycliffe instinctively stood ram-rod-straight, "Sir, you called while I was on the plane,"

"Evening Lyford," General Watson said, "I have been waiting for your report about the termination of The D.A.R.Y.L. Project,"

"Sir, unless you wish us to commit _murder_ it may not actually be _possible_ to terminate The D.A.R.Y.L. Project," General Graycliffe said, then holding his breath for his superior's reaction.

"Explain," General Watson barked sharply. He didn't like his subordinate suggesting that he would be giving an illegal order.

"Sir, as surprising as it may seem, Daryl is no longer _simply_ a machine," General Graycliffe said.

"What are you _talking_ about, Lyford?" General Watson asked.

"Sir, Dr. Ellen Lamb, one of the Ph.D. Computer scientists is here. She may be better able to explain," General Graycliffe said.

"Put her on," General Watson said sharply, after a moment of silence.

General Graycliffe silently nodded, turning the speaker toward her.

Dr. Lamb took a deep breath, then began, "Sir, there was a test developed in the early days of artificial intelligence research. It is called the Turing Test, it was named after its creator, Dr. Alan Turing. It is an attempt to see whether a computer can interact in a realistic manner with a human being. Daryl has been able to pass the test with flying-colours for a few months now,"

General Watson kept silent for a moment, "What does that mean now?"

"Sir, for all intents-and-purposes, Daryl could be considered a living being,"

"What!?" General Watson exclaimed, disbelieving.

"Sir, his software _was_ designed to change, as he learned 'proper' interactions with others and his surroundings. Given that he spent a couple months with a childless couple in a small town, including going to school and interacting with neighbourhood children, I'm not at all surprised at his change in behaviour, in hindsight," Dr. Lamb said.

"When did that '_learning_' begin, doctor?" General Watson asked.

"It began before Dr. Mulligan took him from the lab," Dr. Lamb said.

"How, doctor?" General Watson asked.

"After reviewing the telemetry data from Daryl, it seemed to begin because Dr. Mulligan interacted with him _as_ if he _were_ a child. His development of life-like behaviour of course _accelerated_, once he was outside the lab," Dr. Lamb said, "Professionally, I'm probably the wrong person to give you an _official_ word on this, but that seems to be quite reasonable, given that outwardly Daryl, the life-form, _is_ a child, sir. Chronologically, he is eleven-years-old. He was, _literally_, my son—Even before the biological-sector hardware was implanted in him,"

"Doctor," General Watson said, "you _do_ realize that what you _just_ told me could _disqualify_ you from making decisions on this issue. I'm sorry, but personally you may be too close to The D.A.R.Y.L.,"

Dr. Lamb tried not cringe, saying. "Sir, I _understand_. Strictly speaking, however, I'm not his mother any-longer," She glanced hopefully at General Graycliffe.

General Graycliffe turned the the speaker back in his direction, "Sir?"

"Yes, Lyford?" General Watson said.

"While he was out the first time, he was adopted by a family in North Carolina," General Graycliffe said.

"I _know_ it _was_, Lyford. _Where_ is it _now_?" General Watson said testily.

"He is back with them," General Graycliffe said, sighing, wondering if he had just ended his military career.

"Why!?" General Watson asked curtly, "I thought _it_ was _destroyed_ when the plane _it_ was flying was remotely detonated!—A stolen high-altitude surveillance aircraft, _I might add_,"

"So did I, at the time…," General Graycliffe said, "Dr. Lamb called me this morning, telling me that she had discovered Daryl at the local hospital. It seems he managed to eject from the plane before it was destroyed,"

"What happened then, Lyford?" General Watson asked.

"Well, Dr. Lamb had said she was leaving to pick him up and bring him back, before he stole the plane—However, she also asked me to watch the surveillance recording of Daryl's living area here, along with reviewing the telemetry logs that went along with it," General Graycliffe said, trying to explain, without giving too much away, "She, like Drs. Mulligan and Stewart, had come to the conclusion that, because of his, may I say _quite_, life-like behaviour, that he _is_ alive. I'm afraid, sir, based on what I've been shown, I now tend to agree with her assessment,"

"But _how_ can _it_ be _alive_, Lyford?" General Watson asked, rather incredulous.

"Sir, would you like to see the video that I was shown?" General Graycliffe asked, tentatively, hopefully, "It _might_ help you to see what we are getting at, sir,"

Dr. Lamb tried not to react, thinking, "If he finds out that Dr. Stewart invited the Richardson's and his best-friend to visit here, he'll be furious!" but she calmly replied to General Martin's question, "Sir, he was designed to learn, just like people do,—from experience. The fact he can learn is one thing that makes him alive. Also he can independently interact with other people and his surroundings. _Please_, before you make a final decision, meet him first,"

General Watson exhaled audibly, "Alright, doctor. You can bring him here to the Pentagon, and we will meet with him,"

"'_We_', sir?" Dr. Lamb asked, somewhat surprised.

"While he is here, he might as well be interviewed by the Senate and the Congressional Armed Services Committees as well. They _certainly_ wouldn't have expected any of this to happen, doctor. They will want _proof_ of your assertions. They may also want to review the security implications of his living outside the controlled environment of the lab. _I'm_ currently reserving judgement on _all_ of these issues myself," General Watson said.

"Will you want to meet the family?" Dr. Lamb asked, "Find out what they're like, etcetera?"

"Possibly, doctor," General Watson said, "I'll let you know,"

"Sir, will we be able to continue operations here?" General Graycliffe asked.

"I don't see why _not_, Lyford—At _least_ until you come back for _more_ funding, near the end of the current financial year," General Watson said, "How _that_ goes will probably depend on how the meetings here in Washington go,"

"Would you like to see the surveillance footage we have, sir?" General Graycliffe asked.

"Certainly, Lyford, as-soon-as-possible," General Watson said.

General Graycliffe nodded, then glanced up at the clock on the wall, it was close to 11-o'clock at night, "We will have one of our private-officers courier the recording to you by tomorrow noon, at the earliest,"

"Very good, Lyford," General Watson said.

"Good bye, sir," General Graycliffe said.

"Good bye, Lyford," General Watson said.

"Good bye, sir," Dr. Lamb said.

"Good bye, doctor," General Watson said.

General Graycliffe hung-up the speaker-phone.

Dr. Lamb sat back in the chair, smiling with relief, "Well, it seems we've dodged _that_ bullet,"

General Graycliffe nodded, then stared fixedly at Dr. Lamb, "You don't plan on showing them _that_ video of Daryl's adoptive family and his young friend visiting him here, do you? That was the video you showed me, and I'm sure it would look _very bad_ if higher-ups saw that break in security,"

Dr. Lamb deflated, remembering her late husband and the trouble she and General Graycliffe could now get into, "No sir, I was thinking of the video clip of Jeffrey and Daryl, where Daryl asked Jeffrey what he was,"

General Graycliffe frowned, "That was also where Daryl asked if _they_ could visit, isn't it?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Yes, sir,"

General Graycliff looked nonplussed, "We'll have to see… Well, doctor," General Graycliffe said, after a moments thought, "You said you were going to start the programs running again on the minicomputer. Why don't you do that? I'll think for a while about what we are going to let General Watson see,"

Dr. lamb nodded, standing-up, "Yes, sir. _Then_ I am going home, to _try_ and get some sleep,"

General Graycliffe nodded solemnly, "I _understand_, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb smiled sadly, "Thank you, Lyford,"

"Ellen," General Graycliffe said, "It wasn't necessarily easy for me _either_,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, her eye's down, "Thank you, sir,"

"Get some rest Ellen," General Graycliffe said warmly.

"As soon as I can, sir," Dr. Lamb said, about to leave the office.

General Graycliffe nodded.

Dr. Lamb quickly left, and headed straight for the data-centre on the ground floor. She quickly entered the pass-code for the door:

15005

There was a soft beep, and the door slid open.

Dr. lamb quickly entered the room, looking to see if anybody was there. It was deserted. Dr. Lamb quickly strode over to the same terminal that Dr. Stewart had used to communicate with Daryl's memory banks during the Richardson's visit. She sat down and entered a preliminary command:

show database files for organic sector

The system replied, showing a list of files, including their time of last update, which was now _at least_ three days in the past, since General Graycliffe had stopped the program running. Dr. Lamb entered another command:

run Organic sector

There was a quick reply:

Loading organic sector database… organic sector initialized

Then a moment later:

awaiting life-form contact

Dr. Lamb was momentarily surprised, but quickly remembered; Daryl was using the local transceiver and storage she had taken to Barkenton, at the moment. She knew she would have to return there, and get Daryl communicating with the systems at TASCOM again, but at least they were now ready to communicate with _him_. She smiled sadly, satisfied.

General Graycliffe had stuck his head into the computer room, and he called loudly, over the whirring of the computer equipment in the room, "Doctor?"

"Over here, sir," Dr. Lamb replied, waving.

General Graycliffe quickly made his way through the room, "What are you doing, doctor?"

"Simply _undoing_ your earlier handiwork," she said, with a frown in his direction.

General Graycliffe leaned lightly against the mainframe, sighing, "I was doing my _job_, and you _know_ it, doctor. Until a short while ago, I imagine _you_ would have done the same, wouldn't you?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, relenting, "I suppose, but in hindsight, what I find interesting is that you never examined our raw data for _yourself_, before you went and shut things down-as the boss, you certainly could have. You simply looked at the reports we sent you, with their _seemingly_ extravagant claims. Certainly, many of Daryl's independently developed abilities would have little or no application on the battlefield, but there may be some other applications where he may be useful… Espionage, for example? Specifically human-intelligence gathering? What if we planted him as a 'mole' inside an enemy government organisation, for example,"

General Graycliffe smirked, almost laughing, "He's a little _young_, isn't he?"

Dr. Lamb raised an eyebrow in his direction, "What about this, currently unselected and unknown, adult prototype we were talking about?" Dr. Lamb asked, her head to one side, waiting for his answer.

General Graycliffe was momentarily speechless, "Good _God_, you're _kidding_!"

"Nope," Dr. Lamb said, standing up, about to leave, "but I _am_ starting to feel _exhausted_. Time to head home,"

"Would you like a drive home?" General Graycliffe asked about to follow her out of the small space they were in.

Dr. Lamb, thought for a minute, then nodded, "Thank you Lyford,"

"It's no problem, " General Graycliffe said, "After all I've done, I should do something to make up for it,"

Dr. Lamb turned to him, frowning, "Then this is only the start. But since you _may_ not have been wholly-responsible, it will _certainly_ suffice as that,"

General Graycliffe turned to Dr. Lamb, somewhat coldly, "Thank you. Let's go, then,"

Dr. Lamb followed General Graycliffe out to her car, tossing him her key's.

General Graycliffe caught them in mid-air, "Thank you, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, getting into the passenger side of her car.

General Graycliffe got into the car on the driver's side, "I'll need directions,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "We were in the married-officer's-quarters area of the base,"

"I guess you'll have to apply to move soon…," General Graycliffe said quietly, with a nod.

"Yes, I guess I will," Dr. Lamb said, "Maybe I'd move _off_-base,, sir,"

"You are seriously considering taking the D.A.R.Y.L. Project out of the military?" General Graycliffe enquired, as he started Dr. Lamb's car.

Dr. Lamb sighed, sitting back in the seat, "I might. I know it would be taking Daryl out of the 'black' project where the technology we put into him was developed, but somehow, I wonder if it's fair _to Daryl_, for him to be growing up like this. In hiding, effectively"

'Instead he'd grow up as a scientific freak? You wouldn't _terminate_ him, would you!?" General Graycliffe asked, surprised, after all the discussions they had been having.

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "Not unless the Richardson's felt it was reasonable,"

"Would they?" General Graycliffe openly wondered, backing Dr. Lamb's car out of it's parking spot, and heading for the parking-lot exit.

"No! They _love_ Daryl! _You_ saw their reunion with him! And _he_ loves them, _especially_ his adoptive mother, Joyce," Dr. Lamb said, surprised by General Graycliffe's question, "_There_ is another proof that he's alive. Other's feel they can form a deep emotional connection to him, and he _returns_ that affection,"

"They might just as easily blame you for making Daryl an object of curiosity. They might even wonder what sort of life that would be. Would Daryl ever _want_ to be terminated?" General Graycliffe asked, glancing at Dr. Lamb out of the corner of his eye.

"I have _no_ idea about that. At some time, he might," Dr. Lamb said, "But I have _no_ idea when that would be. If he is alive, it's not really our decision to make, now is it? We'll just have to keep an eye on things, I guess,"

General Graycliffe nodded, looking around at the area of the base residential area they were entering, the street lined with nineteen-forties- and fifties-style houses, "Where were you living, doctor?"

Dr. Lamb pointed, towards a series of low-rise apartment buildings, near the edge of the neighbourhood, "Over there, sir. In the apartments,"

General Graycliffe turned the corner, and drove down the road in the direction of the apartments, "Thank you, doctor,"

"No problem, sir," Dr. Lamb said.

"Want me to wait till you're inside?' General Graycliffe asked.

"Thank you, Lyford, at this time of night, that would be appreciated," Dr. Lamb said.

"No problem, doctor. You're the last one who knows much about Daryl's inner-workings, so we can't have unfortunate accidents happening to you, now can we?" General Graycliffe said.

"'guess not, but-that said-I was wondering if we should get somebody from the local community involved with any regular things that Daryl might need?" Dr. Lamb enquired.

General Graycliffe frowned at Dr. Lamb, "What on _Earth_ are you talking about _now!?_"

Dr. Lamb sighed, "Mrs. Richardson mentioned that their next-door neighbour's daughter is a interested in computers, and she was wondering if this girl might be of assistance-this was before you showed up announcing that TASCOM was going to start up again…,"

"So she may not be needed?" General Graycliffe asked hopefully.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "But I didn't mention that to the Richardsons after your surprising announcement,"

"So you're still going to meet with this girl?" General Graycliffe asked.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "See what she knows about Daryl. See how good at keeping a secret his friend has been,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "Are there some 'issues' about Daryl's friend?"

Dr. Lamb thought for a moment, then realised they were almost at the building where her apartment was located, "Oh-Stop! Here's my place," she pointed to the right.

General Graycliffe pulled over, and turned off the ignition, getting ready to open the driver-side door, "Well, doctor. Are there issues?"

Dr. Lamb returned to thinking about the question, "Other than that his friend has an odd obsession with his own older sister's dating relationships?-Not really. I just don't know if he's kept his promise he made to Jeffrey,"

"The young lady you want to talk to?" General Graycliffe asked.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Mad-mad world, isn't it? Maybe I'm worrying too much-Probably because I really should be getting some rest,"

General Graycliffe nodded, opening the driver-side door, "Well, let's get you inside, then," he said, getting out of the car, and closing the door.

Dr. Lamb got out of the car, and closed the passenger door, "Lock the door, sir,"

General Graycliffe locked the drivers-door, than came around and lock the passenger door, "Let's go,"

Dr. Lamb walked with General Graycliffe up the front walk, "Well, thank you for everything, sir,"

General Graycliffe nodded, holding out the keys, "No, I should thank you for letting me know where some of the research claims came from. It was an eye-opener.

Dr. Lamb nodded, taking the keys from his hand, then stopping to unlock the apartment-building front entrance, "Keep things going, sir,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "Yes, doctor. I'll do what I can,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, heading into the apartment entrance vestibule, "Good night, sir,"

"Good night, doctor," General Graycliffe said, then he turned and walked into the night.

Dr. Lamb quickly entered the lobby, and took the stairs up to her apartment.


	8. New & Old Connections

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

New & Old Connections

Someone was knocking at the Richardson's front door.

Joyce got up from the dinning-room table, where she and Andy were finishing their deserts, she stuck her head out into the hall to see who was at he door, "Oh, it's Sherie-Lee!" Joyce said.

Sherie-Lee was waiting for Joyce to open the front door, "Hello, Mrs. Richardson," she said, "Turtle told me you wanted to meet with me, about Daryl?"

Joyce nodded, "Yes, Sherie, please come in,"

Sherie-Lee sheepishly entered the house, "Turtle said he couldn't see Daryl when he came over after doing his homework,"

Joyce nodded, "That's right, but I started wondering how much Turtle told you about him after he and us went to visit Daryl last weekend,"

"Can I sit down?" Sherie-Lee asked.

Joyce nodded, heading for the living-room, "Certainly, come in,"

Sherie-Lee shrugged, following Joyce, then sitting on couch in the living-room, "He said he couldn't tell me much, but that Daryl _was_ coming home. This morning he told me that Daryl contacted him on his walkie-talkie. He didn't know how. Daryl told him to meet him by Blue Lake,"

Joyce nodded, "I heard the rest at the hospital this morning. As we both know, he ended up being _in_ Blue Lake, instead,"

"Anything more?" Sherie-Lee asked, about to stand.

"Can you keep a secret? The same that Turtle was asked to keep?" Joyce asked.

"Why?" Sherie-Lee asked, getting nervous.

"I need to know if you will keep what I am going to tell you a secret, Will you?" Joyce sid.

Sherie-Lee nodded, "OK,"

"The person who helped him this morning was from the place where we visited him this weekend. They were wondering if you would like to work with them _here_-in town, and help them keep an eye on him, maybe doing certain things for Daryl that he might need. Also, the things I'm about to tell you were hard for me to believe, at first," Joyce said.

Sherie-Lee didn't hide her surprise, "Like _what!?_"

"Well, Daryl has a _computer_ for a _brain_," Joyce said.

Sherie-Lee tried not to laugh, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Richardson, but are you _kidding!?_ I mean, I _know_ he was sometimes a _little_ odd, but that's _ridiculous_!-", then she smiled warmly, "Actually, I really enjoyed being around a boy Turtle's age who _wasn't_ a pain-in-the-neck! I guess he was programmed to be nice,"

Joyce nodded, "Believe me, I was more-than-a-little taken-aback myself, but it seems to be quite true. I told them that you were interested in computers,"

"Yeah, _sure_ I am," Sherie-Lee said, then she sat there for a moment, than smiled sheepishly, "You know, that _does_ explain a lot,"

Joyce gave a slow nod, "Like what?"

Sherie-Lee stopped to remember, the previous comment based more on a general recollection than on anything more immediately specific, but it didn't take long to remember, "He beat _my_ high score at Pole Position-a car racing game, both me and Turtle play it on my computer-with basically no practice, as far as I know,"

Joyce nodded, Daryl's seemingly-outlandish story about the car chase now seemed to make more sense, but she felt she shouldn't mention _any _of _that_, "Would you be willing to meet with her? Nobody outside you, and _possibly_ Turtle or your parents, can know about the stuff you do for this scientist. Her name is Dr. Ellen Lamb,"

"Sure I will," Sherie-Lee said, "When?"

"Some time tomorrow morning," Joyce said.

"Before school?" Sherie-Lee asked.

"I hope so," Joyce nodded her head to one side, now slightly worried.

Sherie-Lee nodded in agreement with the sentiment, "I suppose I couldn't meet with her at school over lunch, could I?"

"Ah," Joyce replied, smiling sweetly, "I think _not_,"

"But I guess I'd have trouble if I ended-up being late for school," Sherie-Lee said.

Joyce nodded, "Say you had a doctor's appointment?"

Sherie-Lee frowned, "I'd need a doctor's note, for _that_?"

Joyce sighed, as she sat back, wondering, "You can't tell them why you're late then, of course. I guess than she will have to wait until tomorrow afternoon then. I don't know how long she was planning to be here in town, now that she has found Daryl again,"

Sherie-Lee nodded, "Ok, I'll see what I can do after school,"

Joyce nodded, silently agreeing that that was probably the best choice.

"What do they need to do with him now?" Sherie-Lee asked, "Or are you not allowed to tell me that?"

"I should probably let Dr. Lamb do that," Joyce said, smiling with relief, wondering what exactly Dr. Lamb wanted Sherie-Lee to know.

Sherie-Lee nodded, getting ready to stand up, "Is that all?"

Joyce nodded, standing up, "Yes, I think so. I'll call you tomorrow morning, if she shows up before school. I normally drove the boys to school about eight-thirty,"

Sherie-Lee stood up, "Alright, Mrs. Richardson. I guess I'll wait 'til then to hear from you. If we can't meet in the morning, when do you want to meet then?"

Joyce shrugged, "She'll probably be coming about mid-morning, if she can't get here earlier, so I'll have to see if she can meet us again about four or five in the afternoon?"

Sherie-Lee nodded, relaxed, "Ok. I hope I can help Daryl, Mrs. Richardson,"

"I hope you can too, but I honestly don't know what help he might need. However, Dr. Lamb will probably have some ideas," Joyce said, heading out into the hall.

Sherie-Lee followed Joyce out into the hall, "Alright, Mrs. Richardson. I look forward to it,"

Joyce nodded, opening the front door, "Bye, Sherie,"

"Bye, Mrs. Richardson," Sherie-Lee, said, walking out the front door.

"Good night, then," Joyce said.

"Good night," Sherie-Lee said, then she walked across the front lawn, heading for home.

* * *

Dr. Lamb had taken a light sedative to help her sleep. She and Dr. Stewart had them for times when they had had to work odd hours, getting Daryl 'working'. She was feeling much more rested than she had the night before—she had then been running on fumes, so to speak, to get things ready for today.

Dr. Lamb smelled the freshly brewed coffee she had set up the night before, "Ah, good," she said softly, to no one. Dr. Lamb quickly dressed, casually in jeans, a sweat-top with a university crest, and trainers. She had a quick breakfast.

Then she called the air-base command centre, saying, "Hello, my name is Dr. Ellen Lamb. I'm a senior scientist with TASCOM, and I'd like to get a plane, please. I'll need it in an hour," Dr. Lamb silently thanked General Graycliffe for speaking to the command centre the night before, since she had forgotten, since she was able to get a plane with no trouble, "Thank you," she said to the base junior officer on duty, at the other end of the line, then she said her goodbye and hung up.

Dr. Ellen Lamb picked up an old picture, from the drawer of the desk in the adjoining space of the three of them as a family: Dr. Stewart, her, and Daryl when he was a young chubby-cheeked toddler. They were in Dr. Jeffrey Stewart's office, Dr. Stewart sitting at a computer terminal on the desk, her on the other side of the desk with one hand on Daryl's shoulder, and Daryl sitting on the desk, his legs dangling over the edge. The two adults were dressed in office-casual dress while Daryl was wearing monogrammed denim bib-overalls and running shoes. They were all smiling for the camera. Dr. Lamb wiped a tear from her eye. Dr. Lamb then also retrieved Daryl's birth certificate "Daryl Jeffrey Stewart" from the drawer, then she closed and locked it. Both things went into a small back-pack, which she slung over her shoulder.

Dr. Lamb quickly picked up her key's from the kitchen table, and then she left her apartment.

It didn't take her long to drive to TASCOM, when she arrived, she found that the guard had changed, but strangely, nobody was in the guardhouse itself. Private Andrew Mohan was standing at the entrance doors when Dr. Lamb drove up, "Good morning, Andrew,"

Private Mohan opened Dr. Lamb's door, saying, "Good morning, ma'am,"

"Quiet night?" Dr. Lamb asked, getting out of her car.

Private Mohan hesitated, "Yes, ma'am. They didn't tell me about anything when I relieved the previous sentry," he said, referring to Private Martin.

"There was nobody at the guard-house just now, any idea's?" Dr. Lamb asked.

Private Mohan shook his head, "No, ma'am, there should be somebody there though, shouldn't there?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, then shrugged, "Well, I'm just here to pick up some computer equipment,"

Private Mohan nodded, "All right doctor. You just show it to me on your way out—I know you by sight, after all,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I'll just be a second, then, I'll leave my car here,"

Private Mohan nodded as he stepped aside, to let Dr. Lamb pass.

"Thank you, Andrew," Dr. Lamb said, a she passed him, walking with a quick purposefulness.

Dr. Lamb went straight for the data-centre, specifically some lockers in one corner of the large room. She quickly opened the locker, and didn't see the computer she had used the night before. She thought for a moment, then softly cursed Private Martin, finally shaking her head in dismay at her reaction. But she certainly knew now where the computer equipment would be. She locked the locker, and left the data-centre. She walked over to Daryl's living quarters.

Dr. Lamb quickly entered the room that, starting three years ago, Daryl had called home. Many of those earliest times had not been happy for him. Daryl, like any child in an unusual situation, hadn't understood why he had to live at TASCOM all the time–nor were many of the pre-implantation preparatory procedures that pleasant for him–before the computer was implanted in his head, after the implantation he hadn't cared about any of that, since he lost all his memory from before. Dr. Ellen Lamb shook her head to clear those early memories away. Memories she wished _she_ could forget., since they made her feel guilty. Dr. Lamb was beginning to feel she deserved it, though, as did her late husband. She quickly picked up the computer, and left the room, thinking that may have been one of the things that drove him to assist Daryl in his second escape.

"Hello again, Doctor," Private Mohan said, on seeing Dr. Lamb returning to her car, he opened the door on the driver's side of her car.

Dr. Lamb nodded, acknowledging his greeting, "See you later, Andrew,"

Private Mohan nodded, "Yes, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb quickly got into her car, placing the computer on the front passenger seat. Soon, Dr. Lamb was on her way back to the airbase.

"Hello, ma'am," the guard at the base gate said, leaning down toward her car.

"Hello, corporal," Dr. Lamb said, showing him her ID.

The guard nodded, matching her face with the one on her ID, and checking her identity from a list of authorised outside personnel, "Thank you, doctor,"

"Good bye, corporal," Dr. Lamb said, rolling her window back up, and heading for the base parking-lot.

Dr. Lamb got out of her car, retrieved the computer, and locked the doors. She strode into the base terminal, and through to the base flight-line. There was another executive jet ready to go, "Hello, gentlemen,"

The flight crew paused from their preflight checks, and stood up, "Hello, ma'am,"

"Are you two ready?" Dr. Lamb asked, glancing between the pilot and the captain.

They nodded, "Just about, ma'am. Please take a seat in the cabin," the captain replied.

Dr. Lamb quickly climbed the cabin steps.

A few moments later, the flight crew boarded the plane, pulled up the stairs, and closed the door.

"You know where we're going, don't you gentlemen?"

The captain mentioned the town with the airbase located about an hour from Barkenton.

Dr. Lamb nodded, her mind rather elsewhere, "Close enough—yes,"

The flight crew got things set up in the cockpit, soon the turbofans were started and the plane started rolling toward a nearby taxiway.

Dr. Lamb sat back, wondering how Daryl's night had been, she thought to herself, "I wonder what state he was in when he woke up this morning?" Dr. Lamb worried for a moment, "_Assuming_ he _has_ already,"

The plane had a tail wind on the way to Barkenton, so the flight was shorter than the previous flight back to TASCOM.

The captain came back, once the plane had landed, "We're here, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb woke up, from a quick nap, "Oh, OK. Thank you," she said, as she got up from the seat.

The captain opened the door and put down the steps.

Dr. Lamb quickly gathered her things together, and quickly left the plane. Dr. Lamb headed for the base terminal and got herself a car. She quickly headed back to Barkenton.

* * *

Joyce was busy demonstrating a new piece of music for one of her students, trying not to think about Daryl's having developed short-term amnesia again. The only consolation were that firstly, he knew who she and Andy were and they were 'mom' and 'dad' again, and secondly, he didn't remember the death of Dr. Stewart, that had upset him so much the day before. He had woken up expecting to be still at TASCOM, having no memory of his trip home.

There was a knock at the door.

Joyce put a hand on the shoulder of the boy sitting beside her on the piano bench, "On moment please, Marcus,"

The little boy nodded, "OK, Mrs. Richardson,"

Joyce quickly stood up, left the room and answered the front door, "Oh, hello Dr. Lamb. Daryl's upstairs. Can we talk in a little while? I just have a student here at the moment,"

"Alright, Mrs. Richardson. I'll just go up and work with Daryl. Then we can talk, when you're ready," Dr. Lamb said. Dr. Lamb quickly went up stairs, turning the corner at the top of the stairs, then came to the door of Daryl's bedroom, she knocked.

"Come in," Daryl said.

Dr. Lamb opened the door and found Daryl sprawled on the bed, then he quickly sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, "Oh, hello doctor,"

Dr. Lamb sat down at Daryl's desk, "Hello Daryl, how are you?"

"I'm fine. How are you?" Daryl asked.

Dr. Lamb smiled, unpacking the computer from the case she had been carrying, "I'm not too bad. Ready to get hooked back up to the computer at TASCOM?"

Daryl shrugged, "OK. Will that help me work better?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, plugging the computer into the disk drive, "It should. You were in a pretty bad way last night. It's good to see you're feeling better,"

"Was I here last night?" Daryl enquired uncertainly.

Dr. Lamb nodded, turning on the computer, "Yes, Daryl. You've been here since yesterday morning,"

Daryl looked surprised, "Really?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Yes. You will remember it all once I have taken the information stored in that box next to your bed, and transferred it to the computers at TASCOM, where you will be able to access those memories,"

Daryl nodded, _seemingly_ understanding, but certainly accepting the explanation at face-value.

"Alright, now lie back, Daryl," Dr. Lamb said.

Daryl laid back on the bed.

Dr. Lamb entered a command into the computer:

DARYL?"

Daryl's computer replied:

YES?

Dr. Lamb smiled to herself, satisfied, then entered into the computer:

DISPLAY ORGANIC SECTOR STATUS

Daryl's computer replied:

TELEMETRY UPLINK AVAILABLE (LOW POWER)

Dr. Lamb entered a command into the computer:

ENABLE FULL POWER TELEMETRY UPLINK

Daryl's eye's snapped closed, then open. The disk drive stopped whirring. Daryl's computer replied:

TELEMETRY UPLINK AVAILABLE (FULL POWER)

"Daryl?" Dr. Lamb said, tentatively.

"Yes, Dr. Lamb?" Daryl replied.

"How do you feel?"

"Fine,"

"Do you remember being tested at TASCOM, and demonstrating fear about it?" Dr. Lamb asked.

Daryl nodded, but corrected, "But, I _was_ afraid, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, accepting what she was hearing, while she unplugged the DASD, "We'd still like to understand why you felt afraid. You weren't supposed to, you know. Do you remember that?"

Daryl nodded, "I remember Dr. Stewart saying that–Where _is_ Dr. Stewart?"

Dr. Lamb held her breath for a moment, then placed her hand on his shoulder, "You told your mother that Dr. Stewart died. You don't remember, do you,"

Daryl shook his head, "No, I don't remember that,"

Someone was knocking on the bedroom door, "Doctor?" Joyce was calling from the other side of the door.

"You can come in, Mrs. Richardson," Dr. Lamb called back over her shoulder.

Joyce came into the room, "How is he, doctor?"

"He doesn't remember anything from the time he went to bed at TASCOM," Dr. Lamb said, lifting the DASD into the bottom part of its carrying-case, "and he won't remember anything _after_ that until I get this box back to TASCOM and add it's data to the system there. He will, however, remember everything from this point on,"

"What about the things he told me yesterday?" Joyce asked, "He was really upset–in tears, even,"

Daryl silently shook his head.

"Well, he will remember them when the information he's put in the disk drive here becomes accessible to him again," Dr. Lamb said, placing the cover over the DASD and locking-down the latches.

"He was grief stricken over your husband's death," Joyce said softly.

Dr. Lamb took a deep breath, closing her computer and putting it away in its case, "You might want to be ready for that to happen again, when he suddenly 'remembers',"

"Thank you for letting me know," Joyce nodded in understanding, "Would you like to meet our next-door neighbour's daughter. She was the one who is really into computers, if you remember,"

"Let's go and talk some more," Dr. Lamb nodded, standing up, "Since I don't know whether I will be moving into town, to be able to provide any special help Daryl might need, it might be a good idea if I met with her, we talked about this last night, remember?" she said, lugging the case, with the DASD inside.

Joyce nodded, following her out of the room, "Yes, but that was before the General showed up, wasn't it?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, starting gingerly down the stairs, "I might still want to meet with your neighbour's daughter, to also hear what her younger brother has told her–he shouldn't have told her _anything_, really,"

"Well," Joyce said, heading down the stairs, "He blurted most of it out yesterday morning, when _we_ all thought Daryl was–well, dead,"

"To who?" Dr. Lamb asked, stopping at the bottom. She rested the case at her feet.

"Me, my husband, his parent's and sister, at our breakfast table," Joyce said, joining her.

"Any idea what he told her alone?" Dr. Lamb asked, her arms crossed, not exactly pleased at what she was hearing.

Joyce shook her head., "No,, would you like to sit in our living room?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, and headed across the hall, then sat down on the sofa, the case beside her, "I think it might be a good idea if we met," Dr. Lamb said.

Joyce nodded, as she joined Dr. Lamb, "I wondered whether you still wanted to meet with her, so I asked her to come over this morning, but she had to go to school. She will be back this afternoon, though,"

"Alright," Dr. Lamb said, "I'll meet with her this afternoon. But first of all, I need to get this equipment back to the base,"

"Are you going all the way back to TASCOM?" Joyce asked, a little surprised, "Could you get back in time?"

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "No. not if I'm going to meet this young lady. I'll just have to just get this stuff on a plane, and have somebody from TASCOM meet it at the other end when it arrives. They can load things up,"

Joyce nodded, "I hope they call you or us when they have done this?" Joyce asked.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I can ask them to do that–give you a coded message, probably,"

"Why coded?" Joyce asked.

"It's not a secure connection. Remember how I reacted when you mentioned TASCOM on the phone?" Dr. Lamb reminded.

Joyce nodded, "Oh, right,"

"How was Daryl's night?" Dr. Lamb asked, suddenly changing the subject.

"It seemed quiet. Could it have been any different?" Joyce said, uncertain of what Dr. Lamb was enquiring about, since nothing out of the ordinary or unexpected seemed to have happened.

"I don't know, really. This was the first time that Daryl had 'slept' without having access to the computers at TASCOM. I was just wondering if anything unusual might have happened," Dr. Lamb said.

"Oh, I would have mentioned it when you got here," Joyce said.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Of course,"

"Is that all? Joyce asked, standing up, "I have another student coming, any moment now,"

Dr. Lamb shook her head, opening the case she had the computer in, "I have some things for you: Daryl's birth certificate and a picture of the three of us when he was little-would you like to have that?"

"I'd certainly like to have Daryl's birth certificate," Joyce said, "Why don't you keep the picture?"

Dr. Lamb sighed, "Too many memories-I thought it might be nice for Daryl to know who his birth parents are,"

"Did Daryl every know, since the computer was put in him?" Joyce asked.

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "Surprisingly, we managed to not let on-In hindsight, I'm surprised myself. Though he did ask us on the plane back to TASCOM after we picked him up here,"

Joyce frowned, "Because of the 'front' you were putting up with us at the time he probably took a guess that you _were_,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I was awfully cold, wasn't I?"

Joyce nodded, "I couldn't believe it. A mother being reunited with her long-lost child?", then she shook her head in disbelief.

"I know, Mrs. Richardson, but as I think I explained last night, I didn't want to get any hopes up. I played it cool to see if there would be any spontaneous reaction, while Dr. Stewart, who was more willing to see the life-like behaviour in Daryl, took more interest in discovering any possible emotional development Daryl could have gone through," Dr. Lamb said, trying to explain, "I am sorry,"

Joyce nodded, trying to see things from Dr. Lamb's position, "Alright,"

"Thank you for your understanding, Mrs. Richardson. I should probably head back to the motel and contact TASCOM. I should let them know what is happening," Dr. Lamb said.

"The birth certificate?" Joyce reminded.

Dr. Lamb nodded, and pulled out the paper, "Here you go," then she closed the case.

Joyce took Daryl's birth certificate, "Thank you,"

"You're welcome," Dr. Lamb said.

"It wasn't too easy getting Daryl enrolled at the local school here without his birth certificate,." Joyce said, "We told them we thought he was an orphan and that there was nobody who knew where it was. Of course, the Child Care Centre helped with that of course,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, closing her case, "We'll, I guess I should be off then. See you again this afternoon? Same time as yesterday?"

Joyce nodded, opening the front door, "See you later then, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb stepped out the door, "See you later, Mrs. Richardson,"

"Good bye," Joyce said, about to close the door.

Dr. lamb nodded, "See you late this afternoon," as Joyce closed the door.


	9. Restoring Memories

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Restoring Memories

Dr. Lamb loaded the cases into the back of the government car she was driving, from the local base motor-pool. It didn't take her long to get back to the base. She quickly pulled the car up beside the jet, which was waiting for her return.

"Hello, gentlemen. I won't be heading back to the other airbase with you. I'll have somebody from TASCOM meet you when you arrive.," Dr. Lamb said, reopening the back of the car.

The captain nodded, "Alright ma'am. All we need to know is who we will be meeting with. I take it not just anybody should be getting this stuff?"

Dr. Lamb nodded in reply, "Quite right, and I see your point. Please, load things onto the plane, while I go make a phone call,"

The captain and copilot nodded, as Dr. Lamb turned, and headed for the base terminal building, they started unloading the car.

Dr. Lamb went looking for the base communications centre, located in the terminal building.

"Hello, ma'am. Can I have some ID, please?" the private at the communications centre front-desk asked.

Dr. Lamb showed him her TASCOM ID/pass.

"Thank you, doctor. How may I help you?" the private asked.

"I'd like a secure connection to speak to General Graycliffe, the senior commanding-officer at TASCOM," Dr. Lamb replied.

The private stood up from his stool behind the counter and beckoned her around the end of it, "Please, doctor, come with me,"

Dr. Lamb followed him, around the end of the counter, and into the communications centre main room.

The private unlocked a door, that led into a small room, with a chair and a desk. On the desk was a less elaborate version of the phone General Graycliffe had on his desk.

Dr, Lamb followed him into the room and sat down.

The private left the room, and closed the door, which locked behind him automatically.

Dr. Lamb pulled the list of current cipher keys out of a drawer on the left hand side of the desk, opened it and looked for the current date. Finding it, she picked up the phone, and entered the corresponding encryption code. Dr. Lamb then entered the number for General Graycliffe's direct line.

"Graycliffe," he curtly replied.

"Hello, general. I have Daryl more-or-less fully activated. All that needs to be done now is for his memories since he left TASCOM to be added to the main database," Dr. Lamb said, quickly warming to her point, "I need someone to meet the computer equipment I will be sending back to TASCOM. The air-crew wants to know who they will be meeting when they land,"

The line was momentarily silent, "Oh, alright, doctor. Can you first-of-all explain why you won't be returning with it?"

"I need to meet the neighbour's daughter this afternoon. It seems I was expected here this morning, but of course, I didn't make it," Dr. Lamb explained, "Is something wrong with my plans?"

"I think it would be good if her parent's were told about this situation, but of course, they would have to keep things a secret themselves," General Graycliffe said, "I don't see why _they_ would ever be in a position where they would need to divulge any _secret information_ to any outsider. But, in helping you, their daughter should probably be able to fall back on her parent's if anything comes up for her, because of her assistance to you and Daryl,"

"If I can't get them to agree?" Dr. Lamb asked.

"Then she might be a bad choice for a local contact person," General Graycliffe explained.

Dr. Lamb silently nodded, "Alright, sir,"

"OK, fine, then. About this package we are going to receive?" General Graycliffe enquired.

"It'll be the portable terminal and disk-drive containing Daryl's memories from the time he left TASCOM until sometime late yesterday The terminal I want left in my office, and the contents of the disk-drive should be added to the mainframe," Dr. Lamb explained, "Alright?"

General Graycliffe replied, "I'll have one of my security team retrieve them for you then,"

"Are any lab techs available?" Dr. Lamb asked, "if they are, they should know how to add the new data,"

"Yes, doctor, they came in at the usual time this morning," General Graycliffe said.

"Good, I'd like have the Richardsons and I contacted when it's done. Mrs. Richardson wants to know because Daryl became quite distraught telling her about my husband's death," Dr. Lamb took a deep breath to keep control, "And we're both worried he would suddenly break-down again, when he gets all his memories of the experience back,"

"Understood," General Graycliffe solemnly replied.

"Thank you, sir," Dr. Lamb said.

There was a momentary silence on the line, "Let the air-crew know Major Freeman will be waiting for their arrival," General Graycliffe finally said.

"Thank you, sir," Dr. Lamb replied.

"When do you plan on coming back here?" General Graycliffe asked.

"I'll probably be back tonight. I'll just check myself out of the motel I'm currently registered at," Dr. Lamb said.

General Graycliffe paused, "You're staying at a _motel_?"

"Yes, sir," Dr. Lamb replied nervously.

General Graycliffe exhaled audibly, "Given the gear you have been carrying around, and some of the data it contained, do you _really_ think that _that_ was _such_ a good idea? Did you think of the _security_ implications?"

"Alright, sir. I didn't. Where should I have stayed, then?" Dr. Lamb asked.

"On the base, where you are now?" General Graycliffe suggested.

"Sir, it would have been too far for me to keep an eye on the Richardsons. That was where Daryl was headed from the time Jeffrey helped him escape, anyway. But it's an hour's drive from here, sir," Dr. Lamb said, trying to explain.

"I know it is, doctor. But at least you could have spent the _nights_ on the base!?" General Graycliffe exclaimed.

"Sir," Dr. Lamb calmly replied, "I didn't. I don't know if it matters now, since the security-sensitive things are being sent back now, and I'm going to be coming back tonight myself as it is,"

"The number where you can be reached, then?" General Graycliffe enquired, relenting from his dissatisfaction with her choice of lodging.

Dr. Lamb gave him the number and the extension.

General Graycliffe replied, "Alright, doctor. I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yes, sir," Dr. Lamb said.

"Good bye, doctor," General Graycliffe said.

"Good bye, sir," Dr. Lamb said.

General Graycliffe hung up, followed by Dr. Lamb.

Dr. Lamb quickly opened the door, then hurried through and out of the communications centre.

The pilots were waiting when she emerged from the terminal building, onto the flight-line.

"Sorry, gentlemen. Others things came up. The person you are meeting is a Major Freeman," Dr. Lamb said.

The captain, who was sitting at the bottom of the plane's entry steps, stood up, seeing Dr. Lamb approach, "Everything alright, doctor?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I'm afraid I got into some other discussions as well. I do apologize,"

The captain nodded, as he climbed the steps, calling back over his shoulder, "Understood, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, as she turned back towards the government car she had come in.

The captain pulled up the steps and closed the door, as the plane's engines started spinning-up to taxiing speed, and the plane then started for the nearest taxiway.

Dr. Lamb got into the car, started the engine, then sped away from where the plane had been, not looking back.

* * *

"Mom?" Daryl asked, as he sat down for lunch.

"Yes, Daryl?" Joyce replied.

"How did I get here, yesterday?"

Joyce wasn't sure she wanted to explain it to him, since some of it was probably going to be upsetting, "Well, Daryl. In a few hours you are probably going to remember on your own. What I will tell you, even warn you about, is some of it is going to be upsetting to you,"

"Why will it upset me? I'm so happy to be home," Daryl said, smiling.

"Daryl, you said you saw Dr. Stewart die," Joyce said, taking hold of one of his hand's in hers.

Daryl nodded, frowning, "That's what Dr. Lamb told me this morning,"

"But you don't remember telling _me_, do you?" Joyce asked, "I told her yesterday,"

Daryl shook his head, "No, mom,"

Joyce nodded, aware he wasn't going to remember anything until the data was loaded into that computer they'd been shown at TASCOM, "You will remember in a few hours though. I just want to warn you,"

"Thank you," Daryl said.

"You're more than welcome," Joyce said.

Daryl hugged Joyce, "I love you, mom,"

"I love you too, Daryl-Now, everything is going to be fine," Joyce said reassuringly, as she returned his embrace.

"Dr. Lamb said that too, before they took me away, didn't she?" Daryl asked, breaking the embrace, his hands on Joyce's shoulders.

Joyce sighed, nodding, "I'm sure you'd remember that-but it's true, now-everything is going to be fine,"

"Will I really be fine now? Is Dr. Lamb finished with me?" Daryl asked.

Joyce shook her head, "But she won't be shutting you down, either,"

Daryl nodded, glancing down, disappointed, "I wish she _was_ done , mom. I want to stay with you and Dad,"

Joyce nodded, "We want you to stay with us too, and you _will_ Daryl, even if Dr. Lamb has some things left to do with you,"

"What does Dr. Lamb have to do with me now?" Daryl asked, glancing up at Joyce.

"She she hasn't said much, except about wanting to figure out why your behaviour is so life-like. I understand now, it wasn't supposed to be like that," Joyce said, trying to explain.

"Am I _not_ alive, mom?" Daryl asked, surprised.

"Well, you have a computer for a brain. Computers are not alive.-However, maybe Dr. Lamb would be better at explaining these things than I am," Joyce said, quickly having trouble finding the words to explain to him. This wasn't something she really understood herself, even.

"Is Turtle alive?" Daryl innocently asked.

"Yes, of course he is!" Joyce nodded, then suddenly had trouble looking Daryl in the eye.

"What's wrong mom?" Daryl asked.

"Daryl, to many people, Turtle is alive because he _doesn't_ have a _computer _for a brain," Joyce turned back to Daryl as she tried explaining, "I should probably let Dr. Lamb explain. She would probably be better at it,"

Daryl shook his head, "It's OK. I think I understand. Do _you_ think I'm alive, mom?"

Joyce nodded, "I thought you were alive when I met you, Daryl.—In fact I completely expected you to be. At first I couldn't believe what Dr. Stewart said, when we visited you at TASCOM. Dr. Stewart told us you were alive, except for your brain,"

"Then _most_ of me _is_ alive? Just the small part inside my head?" Daryl asked.

Joyce nodded, "I guess you _could_ look at it that way,"

Daryl shrugged, "Well then? Who says I'm _not_ alive?"

"Well, for a _lot_ of people," Joyce tried to explain, "I'm sure they'd consider the fact you _don't_ have a _living_ brain rather important,"

"Why?" Daryl asked, innocently.

"Probably because it's our brains that make us who we are. Who _are_ you?" Joyce said, feeling unsettled, finishing with a rhetorical question.

"I'm Daryl—_You_ know that," Daryl tried to reassure her, with the best answer he could come up with, based on the information he had access to.

Joyce said, nodding, "Yes, you are _a_ Daryl-a Data Analysing _Robot_ Youth _Lifeform_,-at lest that is what Dr. Stewart told us," mentioning the acronym that his name also was, "For many, that probably wouldn't be considered life-like enough,"

Daryl frowned, "Is it their business?"

As much as it hurt her, Joyce nodded, "There are some people, whose business it certainly is,"

"Who!? How come!?" Daryl exclaimed, his eye's wide.

Joyce understood how Daryl felt, but she explained the situation as she understood it, "They paid for your brain's creation. They can stop continuing to fund the support you need to live with it,"

"What do you mean!?" Daryl asked, upset and confused.

"The computers at TASCOM. You need them to live, but they cost money to run," Joyce tried to explain, "I'm sorry Daryl-I wish Dr. Lamb or Dr. Stewart had explained this to you,"

"How much does food cost for us? You and Dad," Daryl asked, trying to use a comparison, sounding almost pleading,

"A lot less, I imagine," Joyce said, "But it's not that simple, though,"

"What do you mean?" Daryl said.

"I don't know enough to answer that, but I'm sure there is lots more to running you than what it takes for us to live," Joyce said.

The door bell rang incessantly and impatiently.

"-Who 'runs' me?" Daryl scowled, confused by this unfamiliar news.

"I'm sorry this came up right now," ,Joyce quickly got up, "I have another student now. Dr. Lamb will be back later this afternoon, she can explain better,"

Daryl finished his lunch, then returned up stairs.

* * *

The jet landed at the airbase next to TASCOM, and pulled up to the terminal building.

The captain and pilot came down the steps after they were extended.

Major Freeman stepped out of the car, saluting the captain, "Sir?"

The captain approached, returning the salute, "Name and identification, please,"

"Major Jack Freeman, reporting, sir" Major Freeman replied, pulling out his TASCOM identification badge.

The captain nodded, "The packages are on the plane, major,"

Major Freeman nodded, "I understand one is a rather bulky. I would appreciate a hand, sir,"

The captain nodded, "Of course. You can ask my pilot," he pointed up towards the cockpit windscreen.

The major quickly climbed the steps, speaking as he saw the packages, "A suitcase, and a metal padded box," he stuck his head in the cockpit, "I told your captain that I would need a hand with one of the pacakges, an he said I should ask you,"

The pilot came out of the cockpit and grabbed the handle on top of the metal box, "Of course, sir. Where do you want this, major?"

"In the car," the major said.

The pilot nodded, heaving the box up.

Major Freeman quickly left the plane, walked over to the car, and opened the trunk.

The pilot gingerly walked down the steps, stopping at the bottom to catch his breath.

"I understand it's a delicate piece of machinery there," Major Freeman said, observing the pilot's actions.

The pilot nodded, "Yes, sir. Heavy too,"

Major Freeman nodded his understanding, then watched as the pilot picked the case back up, and brought it to the car, shuffling his feet as he walked.

Major Freeman, got his hands under one side of the case, "Let me help you get it in the trunk,"

"Thank you, sir," the pilot replied, rather breathless.

Major Freeman nodded, helping the pilot heave the case into the trunk, "There we go,"

The pilot closed the trunk.

Major Freeman quickly returned to the plane and retrieved the brieface, placing it on the front passenger seat of the car. Major Freeman saluted the captain, "Good-bye, sir,"

"Good-bye, major," The captain replied, returning the salute.

Major Freeman quickly started the car, and sped away, toward the air-base gate, and toward TASCOM.

The private at the front gate met the car, "Hello sir, identification, please?"

Major Freeman showed him his identification, and the private opened the gate. The major drove up to the entrance and got out of the car, being met by another private.

"Private Anders?" Major Freeman said.

Private Anders saluted him, "Yes, sir?"

"I'd like a hand with one of the packages I have in the trunk of the car," Major Freeman said, returning the salute.

Private Anders nodded, walking around to the back of the car, "Yes, sir,"

"It's not locked, private," Major Freeman said.

Private Anders nodded, and opened the trunk, "I'm ready, sir,"

Major Freeman nodded, walking towards the back of the car, "I understand the package is supposed to go straight to the data-centre,"

Private Anders nodded, "Alright, sir, we'll get it there,"

Major Freeman nodded, heaving it out of the trunk of the car, "Well, let's go, private,"

Private Anders nodded back, leading the way, walking backwards into the building.

Major Freeman directed him to the data-centre, they were met by one of the on-duty technicians.

"Morning, gentlemen," Jocelyn Masters, a data centre technician said, welcoming the two into the data centre. She kept a hand over the slot in the wall which the door had slid into to keep it open while the case was brought inside.

"Morning, ma'am," Major Freeman replied, nodding to her.

Private Anders set down his side of the case, "Alright, sir?"

Major Freeman nodded, setting down his side of the case, "Yes, private,"

"Actually, Major, could you gentlemen please follow me?" Joceyln beckoned, as she headed for the terminal, "The device inside the case needs to be elsewhere, so it can be plugged in,"

The sliding door finally closed, as the two men picked up the case, and carried it after the retreating technician.

Major Freeman picked up his side of the case, followed by Private Anders, "Lead the way, ma'am," Major Freeman replied.

Jocelyn nodded, "This way,"

Major Freeman and Private Anders followed Jocelyn further into the data-centre, lugging the case between them.

Jocelyn stopped by the red-and-black cabinets that contained the mainframe processor and the smaller non-terminal peripherals next to the terminal, "You can set things down here," she said. She opened one of the cabinets, where there was a coiled cable hanging, attached to one of the pieces of equipment inside.

"Ma'am, I've been asked to let General Graycliffe know when this task is complete," Major Freeman said pointing to the DASD and the inside of the open cabinet.

"Oh, I'm about to do things right now. It shouldn't take more than five minutes. As the saying goes-'there's no time like the present'," Jocelyn said, getting down on one knee to unlatch and lift-off the top of the case.

"Will I be needed here any more, sir?" Private Anders asked the major.

Major Freeman shook his head at Private Anders, "No, private that will be all. You're dismissed,"

Private Anders stood straight, and saluted, "Yes, sir,"

Major Freeman acknowledged the salute with a nod.

Jocelyn pulled the power cable from inside the bottom of the case, and plugged it in to the power bar at the bottom of the cabinet, just inside. She, like Dr. Lamb, ignored the military formalities going on around her.

Major Freeman looked on, as Jocelyn got working.

Jocelyn plugged in the coiled cable into the data port on the portable DASD, then got up fro the floor, and sat at the computer terminal. Jocelyn quickly entered the following into the computer terminal:

DUMP DATA OVER PORT MAKING UPDATES TO ORGANIC SECTOR DATABASE

The portable DASD started whirring shrilly, and clicking rapidly, the LED flashed in-time. The mainframe replied:

PERFORMING REQUESTED TASKS (EST. COMPLETION TIME: 5 MINUTES)

Jocelyn swivelled around to Major Freeman, "Major, why don't you make that call now?"

Major Freeman nodded, "Yes, ma'am,' he said, pointing towards the terminal screen, "I take it this won't take long?"

Jocelyn shook her head.

Major Freeman nodded again, and quickly left the room. Major Freeman quickly climbed the stairs to the second floor, heading for General Graycliffe's office. He knocked.

A voice from inside called, "Come in,"

Major Freeman opened the door, finding to junior officers sitting at the desks. They stood and saluted Major Freeman.

Major Freeman returned their salutes.

The one on the left stepped out from behind his desk, "How may we help you, sir?"

"I'd need to speak with General Graycliffe," Major Freeman replied.

The officer sat down and pressed a button located on a box placed on his desk, "Sir, there is a Major Freeman who says he needs to speak with you,"

"Send him in," General Graycliffe could be heard saying over the intercom.

"Yes, sir, The officer stood up and opened the door to admit Major Freeman.

Major Freeman walked through the door, stood ram-rad straight in front of General Graycliffe's desk, saluting, "Major Jack Freeman, reporting as ordered, sir,"

General Graycliffe nodded as he quickly got up from his desk, returning the Major Freeman's salute, he came around the desk with his hand out, after returning Major Freeman's salute, "At ease, Major,"

Major Freeman nodded, shaking General Graycliffe's hand, relaxing, "I've come to report that the box I've delivered has been hooked up to the data-centre equipment,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "Thank you, Major, that will be all-dismissed,"

Major Freeman nodded, saluting again, "Yes, sir,"

General Graycliffe returned the salute as he sat down.

Major Freeman left the room, closing the door behind himself.

General Graycliffe dialled the number that Dr. Lamb had given him earlier. The ringer tone burbled in his ear.

"Good afternoon, Barkenton Inn, how may I help you?" The lady at the motel receptin desk said, answering the phone.

"I'd like to know if Dr. Ellen Lamb is checked in still," General Graycliffe said.

"One moment, please. Who am I speaking with?" The reception-desk clerk asked.

"Her boss, Lyford Graycliffe," General Graycliffe replied.

After a moment, the lady replied, "Alright sir, I'll put you through,"

"Thank you," General Graycliffe said.

"Of course, sir,"

Then there was a click and the phone was ringing again.

"Hello?" Dr. Lamb said, answering on the second ring.

"Hello Ellen, this is Lyford. I just wanted you to know that the package has arrived, and it's contents are appreciated," General Graycliffe said, in coded language, which would really only be understood between them.

"Thank you Lyford, I'll let the person who selected it know," Dr. Lamb said, in equally coded terms.

"Very well, good-bye, Ellen," General Graycliffe said.

"Good-bye, Lyford," Dr. Lamb replied, then hung up her end of the connection.

General Graycliffe hung up his end.


	10. Getting More Support

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Getting More Support

Dr. Lamb quickly dialled the Richardson's phone number.

Joyce answered after four rings, "Yes?"

"Mrs. Richardson, it's Dr. Lamb, I'm just calling to say that your son's test results are in from the lab, and they look fine," Dr. Lamb said.

"You mean the memory stuff?" Joyce asked, unsure exactly what Dr. Lamb was saying, since they hadn't decided what messages they would use.

"Uh," Dr. Lamb said, pausing for a moment because Joyce seemed too 'open' for her taste, "Yes,"

Joyce took a minute to respond, "Oh, thank you for letting me know. I warned him this morning that some of the memories he would suddenly recall could be upsetting for him, so I hope it doesn't come as too much of a shock for him,"

"I may have trouble reviewing them myself, even when I get a chance -they'll probably be hard for me too," Dr. Lamb said softly.

Joyce was quiet for a moment, than said softly and warmly, "Take care, Ellen,"

"Thank you, Joyce, I will," Dr. Lamb said, audibly and warmly touched by Joyce's concern.

"You're welcome, the story he told me yesterday morning was rather shocking," Joyce said.

"I imagine it was, but I'll ask you not to describe it over the phone, please," Dr. Lamb said, "I'll see it all from his perspective soon enough as it is,"

Joyce paused for a moment, "I understand,"

"Good,"

"I've been wondering, where do you plan on living? Closer to us now?" Joyce asked.

"Probably not, Mrs. Richardson, that's why I'm looking forward to speaking with your neighbours," Dr. Lamb replied.

"All of them?" Joyce asked, surprised.

"This young lady, her brother and parents, specifically,"

"Oh," Joyce said, suddenly understanding, "of course, right,"

"I'll explain it all this evening, before people come over,"

"Alright, I'll call them over when you come then,"

"Good idea,"

"Good-bye, doctor,"

"Good-bye, Mrs. Richardson,"

Dr. Lamb and Joyce hung up.

Joyce quickly became aware of someone upstairs, crying, "Daryl!" she gasped, as if suddenly remembering. She quickly headed up the stairs.

* * *

Daryl was curled up on his bed, rolling from side-to-side, softly wailing in despair, his hands clasped on top of his bowed head, his face scrunched-up in emotional agony as tears poured down his cheeks.

Someone was knocking at his bedroom door, "Daryl?!" Joyce called through the door.

"Mom!" Daryl bawled loudly, splaying himself on his back, across his bed.

Joyce opened the door, and quickly entered the room, "What is it?"

"I didn't know it was so _bad_, mom!" Daryl sobbed.

Joyce quickly sat down on the edge of Daryl bed, taking him in her arms, "What do you mean?"

"The _blood_!" Daryl bawled miserably, covering his face, his body shaking with sobs.

Joyce nodded, asking tenderly, "You're remembering now?"

Daryl nodded, sobbing, "He did so _much_ for me, mom,"

Joyce nodded, as she stroked his face, "I'm sure he did,"

"I _loved_ him," Daryl keened.

Joyce nodded, almost rocking him, "I'm sure, deep down, he loved you too,"

Daryl relaxed in Joyce's arms, and nodded, softly weeping.

"Daryl," Joyce said, trying to cheer him up, "you remember what I said about how you won't forget him, don't you?"

Daryl nodded, quickly calming down to whimpers, "Yes,"

"Are you feeling better now?" Joyce asked.

Daryl nodded, smiling sadly, sniffling, "Yes, I am, thank you,"

Joyce nodded, sitting Daryl up beside her, holding him close to her, "It's no problem at all,"

Daryl hugged Joyce, "I love you mom,"

"I love you too, Daryl. I'm very glad you're home with us again," Joyce said, while cuddling him, resting his head on her shoulder.

Daryl nodded, gazing up into Joyce's face, adoringly, "Me, too,"

Joyce gave Daryl a kiss on the head, "There you go, then,"

Daryl sat up, still in Joyce's embrace, "When is Dr. Lamb coming?"

Joyce looked at her watch, and remembered that she had shorter-days on Fridays, "Oh, maybe I should call her,"

"Alright, mom. Thank you for helping me," Daryl said.

"_Most_ kids need their parent's help _sometimes_," Joyce said, feeling a sense of relief at Daryl expressing a need for occasional mothering.

Daryl thought for a moment, "Is it the same as making mistakes, so that parents feel needed?"

"Uh," Joyce stopped for a second, but she felt she had a good idea of where _that_ train of thought was coming from, "no, not quite,"

"Oh, alright," Daryl sad.

Joyce got up from Daryl's bed, heading for the door, she stopped and turned back to him, "Will you be alright, now?"

Daryl nodded, smiling sadly, "I think so-Yes, thank you,"

Joyce smiled warmly, "Ok," then she left Daryl's room.

Daryl laid back on his bed, frowning, as he continued reviewing the memories that he had regained access to.

* * *

Dr. Lamb sat on the side of the bed in her motel room, she dialled the phone number for General Graycliffe's direct line at TASCOM.

"Graycliffe," he curtly answered, on the third ring.

"Hello, sir. It's Ellen. I need the plane which the packages were sent on, sent back, with the smaller package on-board. I will need it in a couple of hours for my meeting with our special guest's neighbours," Dr. Lamb said.

General Graycliffe sighed, "I'll make sure the small package is sent _back_ to you. I _think_ I understand why you want it…,"

"Thank you, Lyford," Dr. Lamb said.

"You're welcome, Ellen," General Graycliffe replied.

"I'll be waiting for it when it arrives," Dr. Lamb said.

"Very well," General Graycliffe replied.

They each hung up their ends of the phone connection at practically the same moment.

The motel room phone rang almost immediately.

Dr. Lamb quickly picked it up, "Hello?"

"Oh, hello, doctor. When do you plan on coming over here?" Joyce asked.

"I need something sent back from the office. In hindsight, it shouldn't have been returned, but I should be able to get it in a couple of hours. Alright? How are things going with you and Daryl?" Dr. Lamb asked.

"Well, Daryl reacted as you and I expected him to, to his recovered memories," Joyce said sombrely.

Dr. Lamb exhaled, "I'm sorry to hear that, but it is both a good and a bad thing, really. I can't explain why now, but I certainly can when I visit,"

"Thank you for the offer, doctor," Joyce said.

"No problem, Mrs. Richardson," Dr. Lamb said.

"Good bye, doctor," Joyce replied.

"Good bye, Mrs. Richardson, I will see you in a few hours," Dr. Lamb said.

Joyce and Dr. Lamb each hung up the phone line.

* * *

General Graycliffe was on the phone, talking to General Frank Howard, Chief of the Army.

"Sir," General Graycliffe said, "things have come up here, and I need your support. We have come upon a moral issue involving The D.A.R.Y.L. Project, specifically, the individual the device has been implanted in, and their development of life-like behaviours, post-implantation,"

"I don't understand, Lyford. What exactly is the problem?" General Jack Howard said.

"We can't terminate the project without committing murder, sir" General Graycliffe.

"Who exactly are you being expected to kill?" General Jack Howard asked, somewhat shocked at the news.

"The _person_, a young boy even, with the implanted computer equipment," General Graycliffe said.

"But that person is effectively dead, anyway, aren't they?" General Howard asked, "They have a computer providing them life-support. They are brain-dead already,"

"It's is interesting, then, sir, he seems awfully life-like, even now," General Graycliffe said.

"What Lyford?" General Howard asked.

"Have you seen any video of the test subject interacting with people who think he is a normal human being?" General Graycliffe asked, "With all due respect, I have, sir,"

"Oh, who are they?' General Howard asked, "I understand that the life-form asked to met with a couple and an unrelated kid,"

"Yes sir, and he did so—at TASCOM itself no less. I was only notified of the meeting about a week ago," General Graycliffe said.

"Who allowed this break in security!?" General Howard asked coldly.

"The late Dr. Jeffrey Stewart," General Graycliffe said, outwardly sharing his superior's outlook.

"I thought the senior scientists were reliable, security-wise," General Howard rumbled, "Except, as it turned out, Dr. Mulligan,"

"Well, apparently, Dr. Stewart allowed this break in security once I announced that The D.A.R.Y.L. Project was being shut-down," General Graycliffe said

"I understand from General Watson that the project is _not_ being shut-down immediately, as I _and_ the Senate and Congressional Armed Services Committees had requested," General Howard said, "I understand that Dr. Stewart did the same with the prototype that Dr. Mulligan had done before. You're all going to have some mightily infuriated elected civilians angry with you, and us,"

General Graycliffe nodded, to no one in particular, "That's true sir. I wonder, however, how they would feel about the military murdering an innocent child, sir. The life-form almost faded out several days after I had shut-down the mainframe here at TASCOM. But, by then, he was back 'home' with the family that took him in, initially as a foster-child," he continued explaining Daryl's deterioration, and then his restoration, finishing, "About the family, sir, they may even start official adoption procedures,"

"Lyford, why didn't it just stop working once the mainframe was shut-down?" General Howard asked.

"I wondered that myself, sir. I went back through the design specification for The D.A.R.Y.L. Project, and it turns out that we asked that the life form continue working even after it had lost its connection with the mainframe. In a battlefield situation the connection could have been disrupted in the otherwise-normal course-of-events, but the life-form was still expected to continue functioning in such an environment, operating according to its last instructions,"

General Howard sighed, "Lyford, it looks like people under us have been too clever for our own collective good. I wonder how the Armed Services Committees are going to react to _that_,"

"I don't know, sir. Do you want my resignation over this?" General Graycliffe asked.

"No, Lyford, _I_ don't, _surprisingly_, but others _might_," General Howard said, almost sighing.

Lyford silently shook his head in dismay. If there was one thing he hated about the current situation, it was the uncertainty of his own position.

General Howard continued, "You are a _good_ man, and we _need_ you to help us get out of this _mess_. Now, on to another related matter. Since the situation involving the initial prototype seemingly continues, I suppose not much has come of the second, _adult_ prototype has it,"

"No sir, we are still cleaning things up from before. But there have been some preliminary discussions between the sole remaining scientist and I," General Graycliffe said, going on to describe his recent planning discussions with Dr, Lamb.

General Howard replied, "I'm glad to hear that things are still ongoing. As you certainly know, after the My Lai Massacre debacle from Vietnam, some have been interested in trying to get human emotion out of the execution of orders in warfare,"

"I know, sir," General Graycliffe siad.

General Howard continued, "Simply following orders, should be the main, maybe even sole prerogative of the soldier in combat. Even concern for ones fellow soldiers should be secondary, insofar as reactions that don't advance the actual mission are concerned,"

"I understand, and agree completely, sir. Well, the first prototype did _develop_ emotions, or it can certainly _choose_ and _mimic_ appropriate emotional responses to external stimuli," General Graycliffe said, mildly disturbed, "It is _even_ capable of showing joy and returning _affection_, of all things. All of that said, however, we have a good idea of how all of that came about,"

"We don't need the next prototype repeating _that_ behaviour, Lyford," General Howard reminded.

"I _know_, sir. I more-or-less told Dr. Stewart that when we had our quarterly review meeting at the Pentagon, a couple of weeks back. I'm just letting you know what I have seen, since I started reviewing the experience telemetry for myself," General Graycliffe replied, "It turns out, even some of their most _outrageous_ claims were true, sir,"

"Damn," General Howard snapped, "I take it the remaining scientist has some ideas about how we prevent this sort of mess from reoccurring?"

"Yes, sir. She, however, also thinks that the prototype, might also work out as human-intelligence gathering 'mole', sir. This suggestion is based on it's current emotion-mimicking ability and other life-like behaviour," General Graycliffe mentioned, "She suggests we could plant them inside an enemy government. They could live in the society, collecting data for us,"

"What made this suggestion come about, Lyford? We weren't asking for anything like that," General Howard said.

"Sir," General Graycliffe reminded, "I believe it is because of the recording of the life-form's experiences. It records the data collected from all five senses. If we could get one of them inside an enemy government, we could use them to collect intelligence data,"

"It would be a rather long-term project, wouldn't it?" General Howard inquired.

"Yes, it probably would be for the long-term, but _I_ believe it is something that could be useful. We don't know for sure, since we haven't tried. But what we have seen from the boy _is_ promising, in this regard, sir," General Graycliffe said.

"Alright, Lyford, I'll pass the suggestion on to the Armed Services Committees," General Howard said, "but leave the final strategic decisions up to us,"

"Yes, sir," General Graycliffe said, deflating, "Thank you, sir," General Graycliffe said, with meaning.

"'bye, Lyford," General Howard said.

"Good-bye, sir," General Graycliffe replied.

Both men hung up their phones, ending the connection.


	11. Widening the Circle

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Widening the Circle

Dr. Lamb was back at the airbase, pacing around in a circle in the terminal, waiting for the plane to return with the portable terminal.

Soon there was the sound of a jet on its landing approach.

Dr. Lamb stopped pacing, and walked to the windows facing the tarmac. She watched the plane land and taxi to the terminal.

The steps were put down and the captain waved from the top of the steps.

Dr. Lamb quickly opened the door, and walked out on to the tarmac, calling over the jet noise, "Hello, gentlemen!"

The captain quickly descended the steps, the briefcase in one hand, "Hello, doctor. Here is the case you wanted returned,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, taking the case, "Thank you, captain,"

The captain nodded, about to turn and head back up the steps, "You're welcome, doctor. Will that be all?"

"Well, why don't you stop in the base canteen here, for some early supper?" Dr. Lamb wondered aloud, "I'll be heading back this evening, so I'd appreciate it if you could wait for me. I just have some other things I need to do first,"

The captain nodded, "Maybe we will. When do you expect to be back here?"

"Some time this evening," Dr. Lamb repeated, turning for the terminal doors.

The captain nodded at her back, climbing the stairs back into the plane.

Dr. Lamb quickly headed through the small terminal, and out into the base parking lot on the other side. She quickly unlocked the car, and got in, placing the briefcase on the passenger seat beside her. Dr. Lamb quickly started the car, and left the base parking-lot. The trip was going to take longer than expected, since she was caught up in rush-hour traffic.

* * *

Joyce Richardson was in the front room, while cleaning up the house, expecting Dr. Lamb to visit any time, when there was a knock from the back-door.

"Daryl!", Turtle could be heard calling.

Joyce quickly made her way to the back of the house, "Oh, hi, Turtle", she said, opening the back door,

"Hello, Mrs. Richardson," Turtle replied.

"Daryl's upstairs. I'll go and get him for you," Joyce said, as Turtle came into the kitchen, then she closed the door behind him, and turned to leave the room.

"Is somebody coming from TASCOM to meet with us?" Turtle asked, "That's what Sherie-Lee said,"

Joyce nodded, "I was just about to call them, at the motel where they're staying. But, I'll let Daryl know you're here to see him, first," then she left the kitchen, for the front hall, calling, "Daryl! Turtle's here!"

Soon there were excited footsteps from upstairs, "Turtle!" Daryl called excitedly, almost thundering down the stairs.

"Hi, Daryl. Are you feeling _better_ now?" Turtle asked, almost surprised by Daryl's welcome.

Daryl nodded, grinning, "Yeah, why?"

"Oh," Turtle looked nervously in Joyce's direction, "You're mom said you weren't feeling well yesterday,"

"Oh?-Oh! Yeah, Dr. Lamb helped me with that this morning," Daryl said, nodding, as if this was something completely normal, and of no concern.

"Who's Dr. Lamb? Is he from TASCOM, too?" Turtle asked.

"Yes, _she_ is, Turtle," Joyce interjected, momentarily frowning at Turtle, "She is the one who wants to meet you, your sister and your parents. Dr. Lamb was here yesterday evening, as well. Helping Daryl out, once he was home, actually started _then_,"

"Actually, mom," Daryl said nervously, not used to interjecting, "Dr. Lamb helped me at the hospital, remember?"

"Oh, right," Joyce said, correcting herself, "I'm sorry, Daryl,"

Daryl nodded.

Turtle nodded, "OK. What does she want to do now?"

Joyce shrugged, "I don't _know_, Turtle. That's what I told you yesterday. I told your sister that, as well,"

Turtle relented, somewhat unwillingly, since he felt anxious to know what was going on.

The door-bell rang, followed by a quick knock on the front door.

"I think she's here," Joyce said, quickly leaving the kitchen, and heading to the the front door, to answer it, "Hello, doctor,"

"Hello, Mrs. Richardson. Thank you for meeting with me again," Dr. Lamb could be heard saying.

Joyce led Dr. Lamb into the kitchen, "Dr. Ellen Lamb, this is Turtle Fox,"

Dr. Lamb nodded at Turtle, as he stood up to greet her, while she set-down the briefcase beside her, "Hello, Turtle,"

"Hello, Dr. Lamb," Turtle said, than he came right to the point, "What do you still need to do with Daryl, and what do you need us for?"

Dr. Lamb almost laughed nervously, glancing momentarily at Joyce, "Well, I see you're impatient to find out what I'm doing here, Turtle, but I'd like to wait for your family, first,"

Turtle was surprised, "My parent's too? I thought you just wanted to talk to my sister,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "If your sister is going to help me with Daryl, than it's only _fair_ to her that I talk with your parent's as well,"

Turtle looked unconvinced, "Oh, OK,"

"Thank you, Turtle," Joyce said, "Could you please get your sister and parent's?"

Turtle nodded, somewhat glumly, "_Alright!_" he said sourly, as he turned to leave through the back of the house again.

"Thank you, Turtle," Joyce said, glancing at Dr. Lamb, not quite understanding, herself.

"Thank you, young man," Dr. Lamb said.

Turtle nodded wordlessly, heading through the back door.

"Doctor, can you tell me why you want to meet with their parent's?" Joyce asked.

Turtle let the back door slam shut behind him as he left.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Mrs. Richardson, simply put, if we can't get them to keep Daryl's special secret, about how he operates, secret, than the young lady may not be the best able to help him,"

"Oh!?" Joyce said, surprised.

Dr. Lamb nodded again, "The general asked me to make sure that the daughter has some back up from her parent's, in case she gets questioned about things she has to do for Daryl. What Daryl _is_, _can't_ get out, Mrs. Richardson. _You_ know he's no _normal_ boy,"

Joyce nodded, "Yes, even before you came with your husband to take him back, I felt he was odd. The Foxes told me and Andy to give him time to get used to us, but in hindsight, I suppose, that wasn't really the issue, was it?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, then shook her head, "His programming and experiences have given him the behaviours of a young adult, able to live on their own,"

Joyce nodded, frowning, "He never really needed us, and that _really hurt_,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I understand, but remember, he was never expected to leave TASCOM,"

"I realize that now, doctor," Joyce said.

"And I understand it's still hard to take,"

Joyce nodded, smiling slightly, "Thank you,"

* * *

Turtle was talking with his parent's, Howie and Elaine, in their kitchen, "There's a lady from TASCOM, a Dr. Lamb. She's from the place Daryl was from, and she wants to meet with _all_ of us!" he said, waving his hand around, to indicate all of them, including Sherie-Lee.

"What, Turtle?" Elaine asked, nervous and uncertain, "Why would she want to meet with all of _us_? Daryl's living with Joyce and Andy Richardson,"

Turtle shrugged, unsure how to answer.

"Mom," Sherie-Lee cut in, coming into the kitchen, "Mrs. Richardson told them that I was into computers," she nodded in agreement, then continued, "and she felt I might be able to help him. She didn't tell me the kind of help though. I hope to find out _soon_,"

"Alright, Sherie," Howie said, coming to a decision, "We'll go over and see what they want you to do,"

"Thanks, dad," Sherie-Lee said softly.

"Yea!" Turtle cheered.

"Howie," Elaine said, coming to her own decision, "What ever you decide to go with, I'll be behind you,"

"Thanks," Howie said, heading for the front door, "Let's go kids,"

"Coming!" Turtle and Sherie-Lee almost chorused.

* * *

Andy had just arrived home, "Is Dr. Lamb is here? I saw a government car outside,"

Joyce nodded, "We're in the living room, Andy,"

"Alright, are the others coming over?"

Dr. Lamb stood up from the sofa where she had sat down, as Andy came into the living room, "I've met Daryl's neighbourhood friend, in person for the first time, and he's is back over getting his family,"

There was a knock on the front door, Andy answered it, "Oh, hi, Howie! How are things? I see Turtle and Sherie are with you…,"

Howie nodded, "Hi Andy. Well, here we are,"

Andy stepped aside to let them enter, holding the door, "Dr. Lamb told me that Turtle was getting you your wife and his sister to come over,"

"Who's Dr. Lamb?' Howie asked.

"That's me," Dr. Lamb said, coming forward, to shake Howie's hand.

Howie shook Dr. Lamb's hand nervously, "Will you tell us what this is all about?"

"As long as you can keep these things a secret, certainly I will," Dr. Lamb said.

"Well," Howie said, changing the subject for a moment, suddenly nervous again, "Elaine's letting me speak for her,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Then I take it she'll keep this secret as well?"

"_We_ already know what it is," Sherie-Lee and Turtle said.

"Oh," Dr. Lamb said, her turn to be caught off guard, glancing at Joyce and Andy.

Joyce nodded, "Sorry, I told Sherie-Lee here, but she _did_ promise me to keep things a secret," her gaze turning to Sherie-Lee.

Sherie-Lee nodded, "Turtle blurted it out yesterday morning,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, relenting, "Alright then,"

"Would we all be more comfortable sitting down?" Joyce enquired.

They all nodded, and found places to sit.

"It seems I'm probably the only person here with no idea what's going on," Howie Fox said.

"It's a surprise, Dad," Sherie-Lee said, warning.

"Oh?" Howie aksed, turning to Sherie-Lee.

Turtle nodded, "I don't know if I believe it totally, either,"

"I promise you, it's true," Dr. Lamb said, glancing at Turtle.

"Well," Howie said gamely, "What is it?"

"The boy you've known as Daryl Richardson was the main part of what we, the people I work with and for, call Project D.A.R.Y.L. For the past three years he has had a computer for a brain," Dr. Lamb said, carefully watching people's reactions, "He certainly had it before ever coming here. D.A.R.Y.L. stands for Data Analysing Robot Youth Life-form"

"What!?" Howie exclaimed, almost getting to his feet, in protest, "but that's crazy! He's a _normal_ kid!"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Everything _but his brain_ is what he was born with,"

"What? You replaced a child's brain, with a computer?" Howie asked. This went against everything he understood in child welfare.

Dr. Lamb nodded, but not very proudly, saying softly, almost sorrowful, "Yes, and I would have to say the experiment went much better than anyone ever imagined,"

"Dad, he beat my Pole Position score, on his _first try_–He's _not_ normal, there's _no way_," Sherie-Lee said, then she looked apologetically at Daryl, "Sorry,"

Daryl nodded, "I understand, people don't want to believe this stuff,"

"If I get permission from my superiors, I might be able to show you pictures from a CT scan of Daryl's head," Dr. Lamb said to Howie, "That's where the implanted part of the computer is. It's shaped like a human brain, to fit of course, but noticeably smoother on the outside,"

"Doctor, one thing I've wondered about is this; how is the computer inside him powered? It uses electricity doesn't it?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Yes, certainly,"

"Well, then?" Andy asked.

"Did you ever make a lemon-powered light?" Dr. Lamb asked, in reply.

"I may have, way back in high-school. I don't remember a lot of the lab-science from then," Andy said.

Dr. Lamb nodded, understanding, then started to describe the device.

"But, Daryl doesn't have a lemon inside him, does he?" Turtle asked, confused.

Sherie-Lee glanced at her brother like he was weird.

Turtle ignored her.

"No," Dr. Lamb said, almost laughing, "But what makes a lemon-battery work is the acid inside the lemon. There is acid produced in your stomach, as well. It breaks down the food you eat. In Daryl's case, it also powers he brain rather more directly,"

"Doctor, what's in your case there?' Joyce asked, pointing, having some idea, having seen the case before.

Dr. Lamb nodded, opening the case, revealing the computer, the folded parabolic dish, and the cables for it all, "Mr. Fox, I'd like to show you something," Dr. Lamb beckoned to Sherie-Lee, "and you as well,"

Sherie-Lee got up, and came over to where Dr. Lamb was sitting, "OK,"

Dr. Lamb set up the parabolic dish on the end-table next to her, and pointed the dish at Daryl's head, then unplugging the table-lamp first, she plugged in the parabolic dish and the computer.

"What are you pointing that dish-thing at Daryl for?" Howie asked coming over to watch.

Dr. Lamb plugged the dish into the back of the computer, than turned it on, "Watch," Dr. Lamb then entered into the computer:

HELLO DARYL

"What?" Sherie-Lee asked, watching Dr. Lamb typing into her computer, "He's right over there!"

Dr. Lamb put her hand up patiently, "I want you to see this," she said as Daryl's computer brain replied:

HELLO DR. LAMB. WHAT IS SHERIE-LEE UPSET ABOUT?

Dr. Lamb looked at Sherie-Lee, "You can still talk to him,"

"Daryl, are you _really_ putting those words on Dr. Lamb's computer?" Sherie-Lee asked.

Daryl's computer brain replied:

WHAT THINGS?

Turtle started getting the giggles, "Oh my gosh. I don't believe this!"

"Daryl," Sherie-Lee asked, trying to ignore Turtle for the moment, "Did you just _ask_ me, 'What things'?"

YES. WHAT IS TURTLE LAUGHING ABOUT?

"Alright," Sherie-Lee said, looking at Dr. Lamb, in exasperation, "How do we make him _talk_ to me, when he answers?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, saying, "Just turn the dish away from him," as she did just that.

The computer displayed:

ERROR: (42) LOST LIFE-FORM BIOLOGICAL SECTOR CONNECTION

Dr. Lamb ignored the error message, since it was expected, in the circumstances.

"Daryl?" Sherie-Lee asked tentatively, having not seen the error message.

"Yes, Sherie-Lee?' Daryl replied.

"Were we talking a moment agao?"

Daryl nodded, "Yes, why?"

"What was the last thing you said to me?"

"I said 'Yes. What is Turtle laughing about?'" Daryl said, plainly, turning to Turtle, "And I still want to know,"

Dr. Lamb turned the computer in Daryl's direction, "And _this_ is where you '_said'_ it,"

"I'm laughing," Turtle said, laughing, "because I can't believe what I'm seeing!"

"I _did_?" Daryl asked, confused, looking at the screen and recognizing the words on it, "I thought I said it, just the way I'm talking now,"

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "No, you didn't, Daryl,"

Daryl nodded, taking in that new fact, that no one had explained to him before.

"What did you want me to do for him, Dr. Lamb?" Sherie-Lee asked.

"I may need you to maintain him," Dr. Lamb said.

"But," Sherie-Lee stammered, "I have no idea _how_!"

Dr. Lamb nodded, saying patiently, "That's what I'm going to be showing you,"

"Oh, alright," Sherie-Lee said, understanding.

"Don't worry, it will only be software maintenance you'll have to do. If there is anything _physically_ wrong, he'll have to be taken back to TASCOM for surgery. I'll take care of things there,," Dr. Lamb said.

Joyce looked worried about the possibility of surgery being done on Daryl, or him going back to TASCOM.

"Mrs. Richardson, the only danger Daryl might face from surgery would be infection," Dr. Lamb said, "He won't be getting anaesthetized, or given pain-killers, since those drugs act on the brain and central nervous system. We can handle the issues _they_ manage, through computer commands. Don't worry, he won't suffer, and he'd be coming back here after things are done,"

Joyce nodded slowly, digesting that information.

"Will I be learning those commands?" Sherie-Lee asked.

"No, since you won't need to know them," Dr. Lamb said, "They're really only of use if we need to operate on him, and you won't be doing that,"

"Oh, OK. What do you want _me_ to know, then?" Sherie-Lee asked.

"Well, I wanted to show you how to get Daryl going again, if he stops working," Dr. Lamb said.

"What, do you mean, 'Stops working'?" Joyce asked, frowning at Dr. Lamb.

"Yeah, what do you mean?" Turtle asked, "He can't die, can he?"

"Well, Turtle," Dr. Lamb said, "You know about Superman and kryptonite, don't you?"

Turtle nodded nervously, "But he's not real,"

Joyce watched silently, waiting for Dr. Lamb to get to her point.

"Well, Daryl could get hurt if he got too close to a strong electromagnet, for example," Dr. Lamb said, "Then he'd need somebody to 'bring him back',"

"So, for Daryl, magnets are like Superman and Kryptonite?" Turtle asked, uncertainly.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Basically, yes,"

"Well, I _was_ going to give him a permission slip to our science class's spring field trip. We're studying magnets right now," Turtle said.

"I'd like to go, Turtle," Daryl said, turning to Dr. Lamb, "I wouldn't be hurt on a field trip, would I?"

"If you did go, I'd hope that Sherie-Lee might go along with you," Dr. Lamb turned from Daryl to Joyce, "Would they accept older siblings as assistants to go with the field trip?"

"They might," Joyce said, "I'm not sure, though,"

"What would I need to know, if something happened to Daryl on the field-trip," Sherie-Lee asked.

"I'll show you," Dr. Lamb said, turning to Joyce, "Do you have a pad of paper I could use?"

Joyce got up, and went to the kitchen, coming back with a lined legal pad and a pen, "There you go,"

"Thank you," Dr. Lamb said, taking the pad and pen.

"You're welcome," Joyce said, sitting back down.

Dr. Lamb crossed her legs, and began to write, saying, "Miss Fox, if Daryl gets hit by a electromagnetic field, you won't see much on the screen, since things will have been wiped. However, I have a disk, which goes into this computer, before you turn it on. When it is turned on, it will attempt to contact Daryl through the parabolic dish. When it can't, it will start transmitting a basic program into his computer to get his heart and diaphragm operating again. That will keep the life-form alive. He will seem unconscious, but then he can be taken to a hospital and you can contact me. I will arrive in several hours to finish the job," she turned to Joyce, saying, "And without putting too fine a point on it, if this happens to him, he'll need a change of clothes as well,"

Joyce nodded, frowning, not liking the sound of _that_.

Dr. Lamb looked around, stopping to look at Daryl, "Sorry about that, but it is true,"

Daryl nodded, "What do yo mean, I'd need a change of clothes?"

Joyce explained, and Turtle wrinkled his nose at the thought. Dr. Lamb nodded at Joyce, since she had understood.

"Turtle, it's based on brain function. If you were to suddenly lose brain function, your body would do exactly the same thing," Dr. Lamb said, turning to Sherie-Lee, "Once you get the basic program going, that function should come back as well, but the 'damage' would have been done already,"

"But Daryl would still need the fresh clothes?" Joyce asked.

Dr. Lamb nodded to Joyce, "You'd probably do better meeting the ambulance at the hospital,"

Sherie-Lee nodded, understanding what Dr. Lamb had told her about what was expected of her.

"It happens with epileptic seizure victims as well, Turtle," Howie said.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "For similar reasons,"

"But Daryl isn't like _that!_" Turtle exclaimed, slowly reconsidering, "Is he?"

"If his brain stopped working," Howie said, turning to Dr. Lamb, "I imagine he would be, sure. Or something like it,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, turning to Turtle.

"Oh, man!" Turtle said, slumping back on the couch.

Howie put a firm hand on Turtle's shoulder, saying seriously, "Turtle, sit up,"

Turtle sat up grumpily.

Howie continued, "If these things happen, then they happen. Now, as his friend, who now knows about these things, you're going to have to help him deal with them,"

"Turtle," Sherie-Lee said, "I'll go with you two on the field trip, since things might go wrong," she turned to Joyce, who was looking uncertain, "Sorry,"

Joyce nodded.

"You don't have to let him go, Mrs. Richardson," Dr. Lamb said, "I _wouldn't_, actually,"

Joyce nodded, understanding that she probably didn't have to, "Daryl isn't really a child, in terms of his ability to make decisions, is he?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "No, not really,"

"Then, how can I really stop him?" Joyce asked.

Dr. Lamb turned to Daryl, "Daryl, do you want to go on this field trip?"

Daryl nodded, "Yes, I do,"

"You know it could be dangerous," Dr. Lamb said.

Daryl nodded, "But I'd like to be with my friends,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I understand,"

"Thank you," Daryl said.

"You're more than welcome, Daryl," Dr. Lamb said.

Turtle opened the knapsack that he'd brought with him, handing the permission slip to Joyce, "Here you go, Mrs. Richardson,"

Joyce nodded, taking the paper from his hand.

Sherie-Lee held out the pen, "Here you go,"

"Thank you," Joyce said, taking the pen. Joyce then filled out the permission slip, "I'm using the name we enrolled Daryl in school under, 'Daryl Richardson'"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "You want to add Daryl's middle name from the birth certificate?"

"Some time, but not on this, since that was the full name we enrolled him under," she said glancing at Turtle.

Turtle shrugged, "I don't remember, Mrs. Richardson,"

Daryl nodded, "I do, and it was, mom,"

Joyce nodded, a small smile on her lips, "Thanks, Daryl,"

"What is a birth certificate?" Daryl asked.

"Daryl," Joyce paused, looking around at the assembled group, then back to Daryl, "Dr. Lamb here is your birth mother,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, almost choking-up.

Howie turned to Dr. Lamb, Howie spoke up first, "How could you do to your son what you did to Daryl!? That computer and all, in his head?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, looking guilty, "That's the main reason why I have no problem with Daryl being adopted by the Richardsons'. I wasn't a very good mother, was I?"

Joyce reached out to Dr. Lamb, resting a hand on her arm, "It's alright. I can forgive you,"

Dr. Lamb smiled sadly, and nodded, "Thank you," then she turned to Howie, "Can you forgive what me and my husband did?"

"I want to know _why_, doctor," Howie said stridently, but softly.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "The main reason, Mr. Fox, is that using human senses is the fastest way to train a computer that can learn as we do. Daryl is able to do that, much faster than any of us ever did. He's gone from being outwardly like a young toddler, to young adult, in two-and-a-half years,"

"What reason did you have to do that, though?" Howie asked.

"All I can say is that it was an experiment in artificial intelligence," Dr. Lamb said.

"Why can you only say that? What was so important about this experiment that you do this to a _child_–_Your own_ child," Howie continued, probing.

"If something went wrong, for lack of a better term, if he went berserk, we would have to restrain him," Dr. Lamb said, "Children are easier to restrain than adults,"

Howie looked and sounded rather more displeased, "That's why there are child-protection laws, _doctor_,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I wish I could explain the even deeper reasons why we did this stuff, but it's the kind of secret that, on top of what I have told you, could be even _more_ explosive,"

Howie looked at Turtle and Sherie-Lee.

"Do you want me to leave too?" Daryl asked.

"No, Daryl, but you can't tell them," Dr. Lamb said, tilting her head toward Turtle and Sherie-Lee.

Daryl nodded.

Turtle stood up.

"Do you need to tell me anything more?" Sherie-Lee asked, getting up.

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "Not that I can think of,"

Sherie-Lee and Turtle left from the back of the house.

"OK, doctor," Joyce said.

Andy and Joyce had some idea what she was going to talk about now, because they had met General Graycliffe.

They were right.

"Doctor," Howie said, astonished, "what makes the military think they can do this to someone!?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, acknowledging the question, "There are some who feel that certain things are permissible when national defence and security is involved,"

"Is that how _you_ feel?" Howie asked.

Dr. Lamb paused, "Now, I don't know any more.-Probably not, but we've gone too far to stop now," she sighed with resignation, "The military offered us a source of funding for artificial intelligence research. Me and my late husband had doctoral theses related to artificial intelligence and machine learning. We knew we were going to be doing this stuff, it was what my husbands thesis was about: If we connected a computer into a central nervous system, with a program that can learn from its inputs, can we effectively create a _living_ completely autonomous device,"

"Why is that so important?" Howie asked.

"Outside the area of defence, it allows things like intelligent space probes that can study their alien environment and send back interesting data, all without the need for human decision making and interaction," Dr. Lamb said, "Imagine a space probe that was on the other side of the solar system, or _further_ away, such as interstellar distances. It will take hours for communication to travel back and forth between it and Earth. Now, if we could make a system that works more-or-less independently, it would send back discoveries that would be of interest to the scientists who developed the probe, not simply swamping them with its raw sensor data," her voice beginning to fill with excitement at the possibilities.

Joyce looked surprised, "Wouldn't it be better to just send people?"

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "An intelligent robot could do a lot more, for less,"

"Oh," Joyce said.

Dr. Lamb nodded, she was well aware that Mrs. Richardson was probably out-of-her-league on these issues.

"Well," Joyce said, breaking what was becoming an uncomfortable silence, "You mentioned you would be heading back to TASCOM this evening,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Yes. I asked the plane to wait for me,"

Joyce nodded, understanding, and standing up.

Andy, and Howie Fox stood up as well.

Dr. Lamb stood up,

"I'll see you out, doctor," Andy said, leaving the living room, heading for the front door.

"Thank you," Dr. Lamb said, following Andy out.

Andy opened the door, "Have a good night, Dr. Lamb,"

"Thank you, Mr. Richardson," Dr. Lamb said, "Good night,"

"Thank you," Andy said, closing the door.

"Well," Howie said, coming out of the living room, "I think I should probably be heading back home as well,"

Joyce and Daryl were following Howie out of the living room, Joyce said, "Good bye, Howie,"

"Good bye, Mr. Fox," Daryl said.

"Good bye, Daryl," Howie said nervously.

"Everything alright?" Andy asked, glancing at Howie.

Howie nodded, "Yes, it's just been, such as surprise this evening,"

Andy nodded, understanding how he felt, "We were taken-aback ourselves, when we first learned about it,"

Howie nodded, understanding how hat must have felt for the Richardson's.

"Anyway, Howie. Have a good night, you and your family," Andy said, holding the door open.

Howie nodded, and then left.

Andy closed the door.

"Time to get supper started?" Joyce asked.

Andy nodded, "That went on a little longer than expected…"

Joyce nodded in agreement, getting a cookbook down from the shelf, "Yes, but at least we aren't so alone any-more, about Daryl,"

"Mom," Daryl said, coming into the room, "I think I understand why they want to keep my brain a secret,"


	12. Congressional Contacts

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Congressional Contacts

Dr. Lamb walked down the front walk to the government car. She got in, placing the computer on the passenger seat. Dr. Lamb then drove back to the airbase.

The sentry was at the gate when Dr. Lamb arrived, as she rolled down her window, bringing the car to a stop at the gate guardhouse, "Evening, ma'am. Identification, please?"

"Evening," Dr. Lamb said, as she rummaged in her purse, getting out her government ID badge, then handing it to the guard, "Here you go,"

The sentry nodded, comparing her face with the picture on the card, "Thank you, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb took back her badge, "Good evening,"

"Yes, ma'am," the sentry replied.

Dr. Lamb drove the government car to an empty spot in the motor pool lot, got out, and locked it, taking the computer with her. Dr. Lamb strode over and into the base terminal building.

She strode up to the motor-pool counter, holding out the keys from the car, "Here are the keys for the car I'm returning,"

The private nodded, taking the keys from her hand, "Thank you ma'am, and have a good evening,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "You as well," she then walked over to the base canteen, looking for the flight crew for the jet she had come on.

They were watching out for her, as well. The captain stood up from one of the tables, "Doctor?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Evening, gentlemen. Time to go?"

The flight crew stood up from their table, "Yes, ma'am," the captain replied, "I take it you're in a hurry?"

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "No, I just want to get home. I guess, that's all,"

"Lead the way, doctor," the captain said, nodding with understanding.

Dr. Lamb turned around left the canteen, and walked through the doors to the airbase flight-line.

The flight crew followed, the captain passed her once they were all outside, "We'll get out in no time. Every thing's ready to go, we just need to start the engines,"

Dr. Lamb followed the captain up the steps, followed by the pilot.

"Take a seat, doctor," the captain said, "We'll be getting away in a few Moments,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, and sat down in the passenger cabin, "Alright, gentlemen,"

The pilot pulled up the steps and closed the door. The pilot then went into the cockpit, "Door's closed, sir,"

The captain's head could be seen nodding in reply.

Soon the engines were started, and were soon winding up to taxiing speed. Soon after, in response to the increased thrust, the plane started to roll.

Dr. Lamb sat back in her seat, wondering what she would be doing over the next several days.

The plane stopped at the end of the runway for a few Moments.

Dr. Lamb closed her eye's, thinking things through.

The plane started rolling again, turning onto the runway, then the engines noise quickly became a wail, and the plane accelerated down the runway, swiftly lifting off the ground.

* * *

General Graycliffe was working late in his office at TASCOM, while waiting for Dr. Ellen Lamb's return.

The phone rang. It was the encrypted line.

General Graycliffe quickly picked it up, "Graycliffe," he replied into the handset.

"Hello, General," the voice on the other end of the line replied, "This is Senator Blackman, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services,"

General Graycliffe Momentarily slumped in his chair. He didn't want to be answering questions from the chairman of one of the Armed Services Committees in Washington already, "Good evening, sir!" he said, with more enthusiasm than he felt at the Moment.

"I hope I haven't caught you at a bad time, general?" Senator Blackman said.

"No, sir. Of course not," General Graycliffe replied. What else could he say?

"I'm calling to find out the status of the D.A.R.Y.L. Project, and its termination," Senator Blackman said.

"Guess it's time to start ending my military career," General Graycliffe thought to himself gloomily. "Sir, we were planning on continuing with development of an adult prototype, as requested. The original prototype, however, has _not_ been destroyed," General Graycliffe said, "In fact, we probably _can't_,"

"I'm _sorry_, general, could you _explain_ that?" The senator asked, his voice mildly-chilled in tone.

"Sir," General Graycliffe began, "the main part of the prototype hardware was implanted inside the body of a child. Given that the hardware runs the biological part of him, to _remove_ it would mean his _death_,"

"I see," Senator Blackman replied gravely.

General Graycliffe nodded, "Yes, sir. If you want us to terminate him, I feel duty-bound to say you would be asking us to commit murder, sir,"

"Murder, General?" Senator Blackman enquired.

"Yes, sir. The prototype seems to have developed sentience," General Graycliffe.

"Sentience, General?" Senator Blackman asked, uncertainly.

"Yes, sir. It has developed life-like behaviours. _Very_ life-like, sir," General Graycliffe said, "In fact, according to one of the scientists here, it could be considered alive because it is outwardly impossible to tell that he _isn't_ alive,"

Senator Blackman sighed, "I can't ask you to commit murder, General. However, we then need to figure out how to proceed with things,"

"Agreed, sir," General Graycliffe said.

"Where is the boy now?"

"Damn," thought General Graycliffe, "I was afraid he might ask that," then replied, "Sir, he is back with the family that took him in, the first time he disappeared,"

"Where are they?" Senator Blackman asked.

"They live in a small town in North Carolina, called Barkenton," General Graycliffe replied, "It's in the Research Triangle Park area,"

"Do we know what kind of people they are?" Senator Blackman asked.

"They seem good enough. I met with them at their place of residence," General Graycliffe tried to explain, "They want to do good by the boy,"

"Oh?" Senator Blackman asked, "What does _that_ mean?"

"They are aware of the secrecy required, and are doing their best to honour that requirement," General Graycliffe explained.

"How widely has the secret gone, Lyford?" Senator Blackman asked.

"Dr. Lamb, one of the senior scientists here is speaking to a young lady and her family, they are neighbours to the family that took the boy in," General Graycliffe said, "The young lady's younger brother has been here to the facility. They all know that things must be kept secret. Daryl, that's the boy with the implant, asked to see his adoptive family and neighbourhood friend. Dr. Stewart acquiesced to the request, after I announced that the Project was being terminated. This request was considered the boy's 'last wish', so he felt he couldn't deny it. Also, if Daryl _had_ been terminated, he would have disappeared, there would have been no outside knowledge of his special existence except for this individual group of three,"

"Oh, how did the remaining senior scientists get so emotionally close to the prototype?" Senator Blackman asked.

"Well, biologically, they were his parent's. Initially, their colleague interacted with him as if the prototype was a child, in order to care for him, post-implantation," General Graycliffe explained, "That was what set off the late Dr. Mulligan, apparently. He would be the first person Daryl saw each day, and would bring the boy his breakfast,"

"That was the one who took the prototype from the lab, wasn't he?" Senator Blackman asked.

"Yes, sir," General Graycliffe replied, "He felt that what had been done was unfair to the boy,"

"How do _you_ feel about the way the life form was treated?" Senator Blackman asked.

"In hindsight, sir?" General Graycliffe replied, "I can't help but see where he was coming from,"

"You think the current prototype should be allowed to continue in existence?", Senator Blackman asked, surprised. This wasn't the answer he had hoped for.

General Graycliffe nodded, "Yes, sir. He has done nothing wrong, sir. He is innocent of any crime. What justification would there be, to terminate him?"

"As representatives of the U.S. Taxpayer, what would it cost us, not to terminate the whole program?" Senator Blackman enquired, "How much would it cost to keep going, from our perspective?"

General Graycliffe shrugged, "A couple million per year, at most, I would imagine. It's largely just a matter of providing currently existing computer resources,"

"That," Senator Blackman asked, "would be on top of the development costs for the adult prototype?"

"Yes, sir," General Graycliffe replied, "But most of the development work was already done on the boy. All we would need to do now is create the adult prototype, and train it, as is described in the latest working paper,"

"The costs to create the adult prototype, general?" Senator Blackman asked.

"Sir," General Graycliffe began uncomfortably, "Dr. Ellen Lamb, the remaining senior scientist would probably be better qualified to outline the costs of creating the adult prototype,"

"Ballpark figure?" Senator Blackman enquired, pressing for information.

"Approximately a billion dollars," General Graycliife said, "Given that it's an adult we'd be using, we would probably have to pay out a death benefit to their next-of-kin to, get the body, included in that amount. With the boy it was easier in that regard, because the child was the two senior scientists' boy. They had him, planning to do all of this,"

"What else do they have to do to create the prototype?" Senator Blackman asked.

"In general, sir," General Graycliffe replied, "They need to perform one or more medical procedures that will trace nerve impulses from the individual nerve ending to the base of the brain. I can't go into more detail than that, sir. However, sir, Dr. Lamb would probably be more knowledgeable in this area than I am,"

"Understood, general," Senator Blackman said, "When can we meet her, the initial prototype, and the family that has taken him in?"

"Could you set up a joint meeting with the Senate and House Armed Services Committees?" General Graycliffe asked.

"It will probably come to that," Senator Blackman said.

"Yes, sir. We thought it would," General Graycliffe agreed, "Please sir, set up the meeting. I'll let the family and our scientist know. You just need to tell me the date and time,"

"Alright, General. I'll have to call you back then," Senator Blackman said.

"Understood sir. Good-bye then," General Graycliffe replied.

"Good-bye, general," Senator Blackman said, then hung up.

General Graycliffe hung up his end of the conversation, relaxed and surprised how well the call went. General Graycliffe returned to writing the report he was compiling about his visit with the Richardsons.

The phone rang, General Graycliffe grumbled, wanting to finish the report and go home. He picked up the phone, "Graycliffe,"

"Hello sir," Dr. Lamb said, "I'm calling to say I met with our special guest's neighbours. It went fine. I'll provide you with details in the morning, in person,"

"Thank you, doctor. I'm glad things went so well," General Graycliffe said.

"Well, things weren't _perfect_, but they went as well as could probably be expected, in hindsight," Dr. Lamb replied, "I _said_, I'll give you details in the morning,"

"Understood, doctor. We have other related things we need to talk about tomorrow, as well," General Graycliffe said.

"Yes, sir," Dr. Lamb acknowledged, "I'll see you in the morning, sir,"

"Nine o-clock?" General Graycliffe enquired.

"Yes, sir," Dr. Lamb replied, "We might as well get an early start,"

"Nine o-clock it is then. Have a good night, doctor. I'll see you in the morning," General Graycliffe replied.

"Yes, sir. You as well," Dr. Lamb said.

"Thank you, doctor," General Graycliffe said.

Dr. Lamb and General Graycliffe each said their good-byes, then each hung-up.

General Graycliffe, got up, collecting his uniform jacket, and his soft-sided briefcase. He left his office, locking up behind himself as he did so.


	13. Hanging Out

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Hanging Out

Daryl finished up having his supper, along with Joyce and Andy.

"Daryl?" Joyce asked.

"Yes, Mom?" Daryl replied.

"What do you want to do now?" Joyce enquired.

Daryl shrugged, "What's Turtle up to?"

Joyce shook her head, "I don't know. They may still be having supper, but you could go over and see if he's busy,"

Daryl nodded, standing up, "Want me to put my dishes in the dishwasher?"

Joyce shook her head, "No, I'll do that,"

Daryl nodded again, "Alright, thank you Mom. It really _is_ good to be back home,"

Joyce nodded, and embraced Daryl, "And it's good you're back,"

Daryl nodded, and hugged Joyce back, then he released his embrace, and headed for the back door, "I'm just going to Turtle's,"

Joyce nodded, "Alright, see you later,"

Daryl nodded, going through the back-door, holding it so it didn't slam as it closed behind him.

* * *

Elaine was shaking her head, "I just can't believe it! His own _birth parents_ put a computer in his head?"

Turtle nodded, "I know, Mom, but it's true,"

Sherie-Lee nodded.

Elaine looked at her daughter, "You believe this _too?_"

"Yes, Mom, I do," Sherie-Lee said, "He beat my video-game score, with no practise,"

Elaine nodded, "I think I remember you two telling me that,"

"As soon as this Dr. Lamb lady told me, it all made sense," Sherie-Lee said.

Turtle agreed, "Yeah, it does,"

Someone was knocking on the back door. "Turtle?" Daryl could be heard calling tentatively.

Turtle quickly got up, saying brusquely, "I'll be back in a sec," he quickly left the dinning-room table, where people were talking, "Oh, hi, Daryl!"

"Busy?" Daryl asked.

Turtle shook his head, and opened the back door, "No, what is it?"

Daryl shrugged, his hands in his pockets, "I just wondered if you and Sherie-Lee were busy,"

Turtle shook his head, then turned to Sherie-Lee, "Can we use your computer?"

Sherie-Lee nodded, "Sure, I don't need it this evening,"

Turtle grinned, "I want to see if Daryl can beat his old score at Pole Position,"

Sherie-Lee frowned, "Just don't break my computer, boys,"

"Yeah, whatever Hookie," Turtle said, tauntingly and unconcerned.

"Turtle!" Sherie-Lee snapped, "_Don't_ call me that!"

Turtle tittered, grinning at Daryl, expecting him to share in the joke, for a moment at least.

Daryl remained nearly impassive, "Turtle, she doesn't like it. Why do you keep on doing it?"

Turtle shrugged, frowning, disappointed that Daryl wasn't joining in his joke about his older sister, "You should know why, Daryl,"

"You do it _because_ she doesn't like it?" Daryl asked, surprised, still not understanding how siblings interact.

Turtle nodded, "Of _course_! And because she's _always_ going out with boys,"

"And why _shouldn't_ I?" Sherie-Lee asked indignantly, giving Turtle a knowing look, "Just cuz _you're_ not interested in girls _yet_,"

Turtle shrugged, suddenly no longer interested in bothering his big sister. Turtle _had_ started showing shy interest in Andrea, after Daryl had returned to TASCOM, and Sherie-Lee knew enough that she could tell, "Let's go, Daryl…,"

Daryl nodded, following Turtle upstairs, "Coming,"

Turtle turned toward his sister's bedroom, "Let's go and see if you can beat your old score,"

Daryl followed Turtle to Sherie-Lee's room.

Turtle put in the Pole Position disk, and turned on his sister's computer, calling out toward the door, "Thanks, Sherie-Lee,"

Daryl sat down on the swivel-chair in front of the desk, waiting patiently.

"This probably seems really slow to you, doesn't it?" Turtle asked, watching Daryl.

Daryl shook his head, "No, why? It's got to load the game program,"

Turtle shrugged, "Oh, OK,"

The game was loaded.

Daryl sat there, doing seemingly nothing, as the lights on the screen counted down, and things started moving.

Turtle watched, "Aren't you going to play?"

"I am," Daryl replied distantly, staring intently at the screen, as things moved faster and faster…

"Oh," Turtle said, suddenly figuring things out, "_That's_ how you beat my sister's score!?"

Daryl nodded, almost imperceptibly, "I guess so,"

Turtle sighed, his head drooping, then he looked at Daryl, frowning, "But that's _cheating!_"

"Oh," Daryl said, not quite understanding, "How am I doing that?"

"By-I don't know. Can you control the computer with your mind!?" Turtle asked, surprised at the thought, even as he expressed it.

Daryl nodded, "Yes, I can… I guess,"

Turtle flopped back on his sisters bed, groaning with frustration and disappointment, then he sat up, "_That's_ not fair to _us_, Daryl,"

"Didn't you notice the last time I played?" Daryl asked.

Turtle shook his head, "No, I guess I was so busy watching you're car on the screen. It certainly looked amazing at the time,"

Daryl frowned, "I'm sorry, Turtle,"

Turtle nodded, asking quietly, "At TASCOM, nobody told you about cheating?"

Daryl shook his head, "I guess not,"

Turtle nodded, understanding, "Well, it's not fair to others,"

Daryl nodded, "I remember that girl got in trouble with Mr. Nesbitt, for cheating on the test,"

Turtle nodded, "I guess you would remember that, now wouldn't you,"

Daryl nodded, "I guess so,"

Turtle shook his head, "But that didn't let you know that cheating was bad?"

"That was at school, doing a test," Daryl tried to explain.

"Daryl," Turtle started, "I know you like making your Mom and dad happy, by being so good at baseball, but I wonder if you're not cheating there, too,"

Daryl looked cross, for a moment, then relaxed, "Andy didn't say it, but he might feel the same way too,"

Turtle almost started, seeing Daryl's initial reaction, then almost relaxed, but felt uncomfortable with what he was saying, "They still care about you,"

Daryl nodded, "I love them, too,"

Turtle nodded, silently acknowledging what Daryl was saying, "I hoped things would be the same as they were before you returned to that place they put the computer in your head,"

"Sorry. You still _like_ me, don't you?" Daryl asked, feeling nervous.

Turtle nodded, "Yeah, sure. I just didn't know there was stuff you still didn't know,"

"Oh," Daryl said, "Like about cheating?"

Turtle nodded.

"That's a big deal, isn't it?" Daryl said, Mr. Nesbitt's reaction over the test.

Turtle nodded.

"I don't mean to," Daryl said.

Turtle nodded, "Maybe you don't,"

"I don't!" Daryl protested.

Turtle nodded, "All right, then!"

Elaine knocked on Sherie-Lee's bedroom door, which was ajar, "What's going on, boys?"

Turtle sighed, not liking it when his mother interrupted him having an argument with a friend. Turtle worried that his mother might take it the wrong way, making more of it than he thought necessary, "We're just talking, Mom! I now know how Daryl beat Sherie-Lee's game score,"

"Oh?" Elaine enquired, "Sounds like you're not happy. What's wrong?"

Turtle frowned at his mother, "Daryl could control the computer _without_ the joy-stick. _That's _how he made it go so fast, and that's how he beat Sherie-Lee's score,"

Daryl nodded, to Elaine, "Turtle said I cheated, but I didn't mean to,"

Turtle nodded, "I know, Daryl,"

Elaine nodded, understanding, as she spoke to Daryl, "Howie's been telling me what that doctor from the lab told him and your _adoptive_ parents about you," she turned to Turtle, "including, dear, things I can't tell you,"

Turtle nodded, "Oh, all right,"

Daryl shrugged, "Some of it, I knew already, of course,"

Elaine nodded, "I'm sure, Daryl. We'd be happy to do what we can to help you, if you need it,"

Daryl nodded formally, "Thank you, Mrs. Fox,"

Elaine smiled warmly, "You're welcome, Daryl,"

"Thank you, anyway," Daryl said.

Elaine nodded, "Well, what are you boys going to do now?"

"Maybe," Turtle said, talking to his mother, but watching Daryl. Daryl was watching them, "Daryl might try using the joystick, _this time_?"

Daryl nodded, "OK, Turtle, I'll try,"

Turtle handed Daryl the joystick, "You make the car move left and right by moving the joystick left and right, you make it speed up by pushing the joystick forward, and slow down, by releasing the joystick,"

Daryl nodded, "I think I can do that," he took the joystick, holding the base in the palm of his left hand, and holding the stick itself with his right.

Turtle restarted the computer.

Daryl prepared to play the game.

Turtle watched him, somewhat warily, "Now, use the joystick, not your mind-control thingy,"

"I won't," Daryl said, as the game started, and things began to move on the screen.

Turtle nodded.

Daryl controlled the car with the joystick, with somewhat reduced response times.

Turtle smiled, seeing as the game was not accelerating as quickly as it had a few moments before, "That's better,"

"Thank you," Daryl said, without turning from the screen.

Turtle nodded, grinning, watching Daryl play, "Sure thing,"

Daryl continued playing the game.

Turtle watched Daryl's score climb, "Wow, you're doing really good, even _with_ the joy-stick!"

Daryl nodded, "I guess so,"

Turtle watched Daryl's hand moving faster and faster, and he got worried about the joy-stick, watching how Daryl handled it, "Try not to break it! Sherie-Lee'd kill me!"

Daryl looked perturbed, "I thought she _cared_ about you?"

Turtle shrugged uncomfortably, "Well, she wouldn't _murder_ me, no, but she would be _really_ angry with me!"

Daryl nodded, "I understand, I'll try to be careful,"

Turtle nodded, "OK,"

Daryl continued playing, eventually finishing the game. He turned to Turtle with a grin, "That's still a lot of fun!"

Turtle smiled, "At least you did it _honestly_, this time!"

Daryl nodded in agreement.

Sherie-Lee walked into her room, unannounced, "Was Daryl doing something dishonestly? I thought computers couldn't lie-sorry, Daryl,"

Daryl said, looking directly at Sherie-Lee, Turtle followed his gaze to watch Sherie-Lee, in reaction to the interruption, "I told Turtle that I didn't mean to, but it seems I cheated the first time I played Pole Position,"

Sherie-Lee frowned, you weren't supposed to be able to cheat at computer games. It wouldn't let you… "How did you do that?"

Daryl continued, "Sherie-Lee, I didn't know at the time, but I can control computers with my brain. Nobody knows how, I don't think… I think they were trying to figure it out when Dr. Stewart helped me escape again,"

"Who was Dr. Stewart?" Sherie-Lee asked.

"He was the man we met at TASCOM when me, Joyce and Andy went to visit Daryl," Turtle said, then turned back to Daryl, "Right?"

Daryl nodded.

"Daryl, where is he now?" Sherie-Lee asked.

"He died helping me escape," Daryl said.

"Oh," Sherie-Lee said, her face dropping, "I'm sorry,"

Turtle nodded sombrely, agreeing with his sister, "Me too, it seemed like Dr. Stewart really liked what he was doing with you," he said, remembering Dr. Stewart's enthusiasm for the work being done at TASCOM.

Daryl nodded sadly, "He really did care about me, but I didn't really know it until the end. He and Dr. Lamb, are my Mom and dad,"

"We know, Daryl. We were their when she told you. It's alright," Sherie-Lee came to Daryl and put an arm around his shoulder, followed by Turtle on his opposite side.

Daryl shook his head, "Thank you, both of you. But no, she told Joyce when she came to help me last night. I asked them on the plane to TASCOM, but they wouldn't tell me then,"

"Daryl," Sherie-Lee said, trying to bring things back to the local things said, "Joyce and Andy really love you too,"

"I know," Daryl nodded, "I love them, too,"

"We know," Turtle said.

Daryl nodded silently.

Elaine stuck her head into the room, "Daryl?"

Daryl looked to Elaine, "Yes, Mrs. Fox?"

"Your adoptive mother just called, she'd like you to come home," she said.

Daryl stood up, "Alright, I'm coming,"

"Alright," Elaine nodded, beckoning to Turtle, "You can you show Daryl out, Turtle,"

Turtle nodded, glumly standing up, "Alright, let's go, Daryl,"

Daryl nodded.

"Bye, Daryl," Sherie-Lee said.

"Goodbye, Sherie-Lee," Daryl replied.

Turtle beckoned to Daryl impatiently, "C'mon!"

"Turtle!" Elaine scolded, "That's not how we talk to guests!"

Turtle nodded, understanding, "Are you ready?"

Daryl nodded, following Turtle out of Sherie-Lee's room, "Yes, I'm coming,"

Elaine followed them downstairs, "I hope you had fun, Daryl,"

Daryl nodded, "Yes, thank you,"

Elaine smiled, opening the front door, "Good bye then,"

"Bye, Daryl," Turtle said.

"Good-bye, Turtle," Daryl said.


	14. Things Return to Normal

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Things Return to Normal

Dr. Lamb arrived at TASCOM the next morning, at nine o'clock sharp, as planned.

General Graycliffe was at the main door to meet her, "Good morning, doctor. Are you ready to get things under way?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Certainly, sir,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "That's good, doctor. So far, we haven't been shut down, and every one above us _seems_ to be accepting that we can't pull the plug on the original prototype,"

"Well, of course we can't shut the original down!" Dr. Lamb exclaimed, surprised.

General Graycliffe nodded, "_We_ realize that, but our superiors haven't seen our raw data yet, All they have to keep them from pulling the plug on him is our word for _his_ becoming a sentient life-form,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I wonder how they will feel when they _do_ see our raw data,"

General Graycliffe shrugged, turning his hands up in ignorance, "We'll just have to see. But you will have to explain it to them, in simple detail. I needed it described to me by one of the lab techs, along with having access to the original design document, when you wanted me to review your raw data,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Thank you for doing that,"

"Well, there wasn't much more I could do, after your husband left with Daryl in his car. He told my men that he was taking the body to the morgue!" General Graycliffe said, amazed at how Dr. Stewart had gotten Daryl's seeming lifeless body past the heightened TASCOM security.

"Sir," Dr. Lamb asked, coming to her office door, "How did you know that Daryl had escaped again?"

General Graycliffe stopped, "He printed on a terminal a hope that he and Dr. Stewart would get away with his repeat escape,"

Dr. Lamb frowned, "When did you see that?"

"When I was stopping the mainframe programs," General Graycliffe said.

Dr. Lamb sighed, and shook her head, "Foolish boy,"

General Graycliffe smiled, "Why was he foolish?"

"He was supposed to keep quiet about our plan," Dr. Lamb said, a frown on her face.

"Well, he didn't," General Graycliffe said.

"No _wonder_ you went ape!" Dr. Lamb said, leaning against her office door, suddenly understanding.

General Graycliffe nodded, a small smile on his face.

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "I wonder how far they might have gotten this time?"

"We'll never know, doctor," General Graycliffe said.

Dr. Lamb nodded, frowning sadly, standing up straight, "Jeffrey might still be alive?"

It was General Graycliffe's turn to frown, "Now, doctor, there's no way to know that!"

Dr. Lamb nodded, her head bowed, "I know… That's what hurts, all of a sudden,"

General Graycliffe put a hand on her shoulder, "Doctor, you have to understand that I was sorry to hear about your husband's death. In hindsight, I am sorry to say it, but we were going after Daryl himself, to prevent him from returning to the Richardsons. There are powerful people who would have been _very_ happy if he had simply disappeared, with the shutting down of the D.A.R.Y.L. Project. _He_ wasn't supposed to develop sentience, and you know that,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I do," lifting General Graycliffe's hand from her shoulder, glaring at General Graycliffe, "Now, hand off,"

General Graycliffe retrieved his hand, "Of course," and straightened up.

"Thanks you," Dr. Lamb said, opening the door to her office, "Time to get to work,"

"Yes, doctor," General Graycliffe said, nodding politely.

Dr. Lamb entered her office, closed the door behind her, and sat down at her desk, the computer terminal on top waiting for her instructions.

LOAD ORGANIC SECTOR SOURCE CODE

The computer terminal displayed a list of files, then:

SOURCE CODE LOADED

Dr. Lamb entered into the terminal:

LOAD COMMLINK.LISP

A text editor opened on the terminal screen, with the contents of the "COMMLINK.LISP" file displayed, ready to be modified.

Dr. Lamb got down to the job of modifying the protocol Daryl used to communicate with the mainframe computer at TASCOM, from the mainframe's perspective. It took only a couple of hours of work to make the changes necessary. Dr. Lamb than initialized a new database, to be used by the new life form prototype, yet to be acquired.

* * *

Joyce was making Daryl breakfast, since he had figured out that this is what parents expected to do, she called, "Daryl! Breakfast!"

Daryl quickly came downstairs, "OK, thanks Mom,"

Joyce nodded, smiling warmly, "No problem,"

Daryl sat down at the breakfast table, where Joyce had set a place for him, "I'll make my lunch?"

Joyce nodded, "Sure, after your breakfast,"

Daryl nodded, and started eating, "I think I'll go back to school, with Turtle,"

Joyce raised an eyebrow momentarily, watching Daryl with a sudden serious expression on her face. Then she nodded, understanding, "Not that you really need school, though, do you? But if you didn't go people might start asking _questions_ we _don't_ want asked. Also, you should learn about wider society, and things. It might help you fit in better, something else that could help prevent people from asking uncomfortable questions,"

Daryl nodded, the smile disappearing from his face, "I _know_, mom,"

Joyce nodded, smiling again, "Well, finish up, brush your teeth, and get your lunch made. Then I'll drive you and Turtle to school,"

"Thanks, mom," Daryl nodded, then he quickly finished his breakfast and headed back upstairs.

Joyce just nodded again, suddenly the feelings of unease she hadn't felt since Daryl's return came back.

"Morning, Daryl!" Andy could be heard saying cheerfully, from upstairs.

"Morning, dad," Daryl could be heard replying.

Andy came downstairs, and got his breakfast ready, "So, Joyce, what's Daryl doing today? Has he told you?"

Joyce nodded, then gave Andy a peck on the cheek, "He's going to school, to fit in,"

Andy nodded, "Oh, good. I signed that permission slip for the class field-trip,"

Joyce nodded, "I just hope nothing goes wrong,"

"Well," Andy said, glancing at Joyce, "It doesn't have to be returned to the school for a couple of days. Maybe Daryl shouldn't return it until we hear whether Sherie-Lee can go with them?"

Joyce nodded, "She'll have to get her work for that day before she goes…,"

Andy sat back on his chair, and nodded in agreement, "Something for her and her parent's to sort out,"

"Yes," Joyce replied, "I'm glad they know about these things now,"

"Turtle probably got a grilling last night," Andy said, "'What did he see at TASCOM?', things like that,"

Joyce nodded, "As if he didn't after he went with us to visit Daryl there?"

Andy shrugged, finishing up his breakfast, "We weren't supposed to tell anybody anything unless Daryl hadn't shown up after a few days, if I recall. Which would have made things interesting for Turtle, not being able to explain to his parent's what he'd seen and done while visiting Daryl,"

Daryl quickly came down the stairs, then quickly made his lunch, "I'm ready to go to school,"

Someone was knocking on the back door, "Mrs. Richardson?" Turtle could be heard calling.

Joyce quickly got up and opened the back door, "Hello, Turtle. Ready to go to school?"

Turtle nodded, carrying his backpack over one shoulder, "Yes, Mrs. Richardson," he saw Daryl in the behind Joyce and waved, "Hi, Daryl. You coming to school today?"

Daryl nodded, "Yes, I am,"

Turtle grinned, "People are gonna be really surprised to see you! We all thought," he said, tilting his head in Joyce's direction, "that your parent's had picked you up and had taken you home. Which, I guess they did, kinda,"

"Yes," Daryl said as he nodded seriously, then he got his bag from the bottom of the stairs, "Ready to go, mom,"

Joyce nodded, coming out to the front hall, Turtle following behind, "Let's go, boys,"

Daryl nodded, following behind Turtle when he reached the bottom of the stairs.

Andy came out, having finished breakfast, "See you later, guys,"

"Bye, Dad," Daryl said.

"Bye, Mr. Richardson," Turtle said.

"I take it someone will be picking you up to take you to the development site?" Joyce asked.

Andy nodded, "Yeah, Ted will be stopping by,"

Joyce nodded, "OK, tell him I said hi,"

Andy nodded, "I will,"

Joyce beckoned, "Let's go boys! I have to get Daryl re-enrolled, now let's move!"

Daryl was right beside her, so he headed for the door, "Is your car open?"

Joyce shook her head, "No, Daryl,"

Daryl nodded, standing by the door, "Well, you asked us to move,"

Joyce nodded, "It's mostly Turtle here who needs to get going,"

"I'm coming!" Turtle protested.

Joyce opened the door, and the boys followed her out to her car. Joyce unlocked the doors, and got the passenger side doors open, "Get in,"

Daryl got into the back, and Turtle got into the front.

Joyce got into the driver's seat, and started the car, "Off we go,"

The drive, though it was across town, didn't take long.

Joyce got out, came around the front of the car, and opened the front and then the back doors on the passenger side.

"Mom, would you take me to get enrolled?" Daryl asked, getting out of the car, and standing on the grass next to Joyce.

Joyce raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure?"

Daryl nodded.

Turtle shrugged, "I'll tell people you're coming, Daryl,"

"OK," Daryl replied, turning to Turtle.

Turtle headed toward the school building, Daryl and Joyce followed behind.

Joyce opened the door, "Go in, boys,"

Turtle and Daryl entered the school.

"See you soon, Turtle," Daryl said, before following Joyce to the school's main office. Daryl ended-up leading Joyce to the main office himself, having been there previously with Turtle, the first time he enrolled.

"Hello, Miss-" the secretary said, seeing Joyce and Daryl enter the office.

"My name is Mrs. Richardson, and this is my adoptive son Daryl. I like to get him enrolled for school," Joyce said.

The secretary nodded, "Of course, Mrs. Richardson," she said, getting the forms out of her desk drawer, and handing them to Joyce, "You can fill them out,"

Joyce nodded, "I'll just fill this stuff out, Daryl,"

Daryl nodded, "Should I go to class?"

The secretary stood up from behind her desk, with a slip of paper in her hand, "Yes, young man. This, Daryl, is your admit-to-class slip. You give this to Mr. Nesbitt, and he'll give you a place in his class,"

Daryl nodded, taking the slip of paper, "Thank you,"

The secretary nodded, sitting down again, "You're welcome,"

Daryl turned to Joyce, "Mom, I'm going to class now,"

Joyce gave Daryl a quick hug, "Alright, you and Turtle will walk home, like you did before, right?"

Daryl nodded, "Yes, mom,"

Joyce released her embrace, then waved, as Daryl left the office, "See you this afternoon than,"

Daryl nodded, and quickly left the main office, admit slip in hand.

Turtle had kept a place for Daryl beside him in Mr. Nesbitt's classroom.

Daryl came into the classroom, "Hello, Mr. Nesbitt,"

"Ah!" Mr. Nesbitt exclaimed, eying Daryl entering the room, "Daryl Richardson, isn't it? Your friend told us you were coming. Now, go and sit down with him,"

Daryl nodded, "With Turtle? Yes, sir," then he quickly and quietly walked down the aisle, to where Turtle was sitting, and sat down beside him in the seat Turtle was saving for him.

Mr. Nesbitt nodded absent-mindedly, then returned to the lesson he had been teaching.

Daryl leaned close to Turtle, and whispered, "Doesn't he remember your name?"

Turtle shrugged, following what Mr. Nesbitt was writing down on the blackboard at the front of the class, in his binder.

Daryl felt he was being given a hint as to how to act, and started following what was being written up front.

Turtle hurriedly gave Daryl some of his paper, and a pen, whispering, "Take notes!"

Daryl nodded, mimicking what Turtle was doing, "But I don't need to, do I?"

"Everybody else does. I'll explain at lunch!" Turtle hissed, "Remind me??"

Daryl nodded, and started note-taking in earnest.

Soon the lesson was over.

"Hi, Daryl," Trudi said, with a worried expression crossing her face, "What are you doing back here? Didn't you mom and dad _want_ you _back_?"

Turtle watched the interaction, suddenly becoming nervous. He knew that Daryl knew his background was a secret, but he didn't know how well Daryl could deflect that probing question.

Daryl shrugged, frowning, "I don't know, Trudi,"

Trudi and Andrea turned there noses up in disgust at the idea that someone's parents wouldn't want them back.

Turtle relaxed.

But that was the best response to Trudi's question Daryl could think of at the moment. Great in mathematics he undoubtedly was. Daryl, however, was still learning how to navigate social situations in ways he might be expected to, assuming he was a normal kid.

Andrea turned to Turtle, saying warmly, "Hi, Turtle," she giggled softly, "Did he tell _you_? Can you tell _us_?"

Turtle shook his head, blushing, because of the way Andrea asked her questions, "Uh, no, and no,"

Andrea frowned at Turtle, "Well of course you can't if he wouldn't tell you!"

Daryl nodded, "And maybe I won't. Is it his business?"

Turtle looked surprised at how Daryl was talking about him in front of his face, but he kept quiet about it, for the time being at least.

"Are you still neighbours?" Trudi asked. After all, there weren't many Junior high-schools in Barkenton.

Daryl and Turtle nodded.

"Alright, class, get your history textbooks out please," Mr. Nesbitt said, pointing toward the shelves under the classroom windows.

The class got up, en mass, and each child retrieved a textbook.

"What are we doing now?" Daryl asked Turtle quietly, following his friend back to their seats.

"We're studying the life of Ben Franklin," Turtle said.

Daryl nodded, and looked up Ben Franklin in the index at the back of the text book. Daryl started reading, flipping to the next page every second or so.

Turtle watched Daryl out of the corner of his eye, worried that others might notice how he read.

Daryl closed the textbook, "Interesting man," he said, turning to Turtle.

Turtle shrugged, "I guess," he said, not as interested.

Mr. Nesbitt raised an eyebrow in Daryl's direction, hearing him speaking to Turtle, "What was that Daryl? Maybe you could tell us about him…,"

* * *

General Graycliffe knocked on Dr. Lamb's office door.

"Come in!", she called.

General Graycliffe opened the door, and entered Dr. Lamb's office, looking grave, "Doctor, the lab technicians have discovered where your husband died. I am offering to have a group of my men go out and pick up his remains for you. Then you can have him buried,"

Dr. Lamb nodded slowly, looking directly at General Graycliffe. She was feeling caught off guard, but she slowly replied, "Thank you, sir. I would certainly appreciate it,"

General Graycliffe nodded, turning his gaze from her, understanding how difficult things must be for Dr. Lamb, "It will be done by the end of this afternoon, doctor,"

"Thank you sir," Dr. Lamb said, trying to regain control of her breathing.

General Graycliffe let himself out of Dr. Lamb's office in silence, closing the door behind himself.

Major Willows was waiting for General Graycliffe when he emerged, "Sir? What are we going to do?"

"Major, we are going to get the late Dr. Stewart's remains and return them to Dr. Lamb," General Graycliffe replied, with conviction, "There isn't much more I can do for her,"

Major Willows nodded, following beside General Graycliffe returning to his office, "Yes, sir. I will contact the base which the boy stole the plane from. They are the closest military installation, and should be able to pick up the body and have it returned here, with a minimum of mus or fuss"

General Graycliffe nodded, suddenly tired, though it was only late-morning, "Very good, Jack,"

Major Willows nodded, "Thank you, sir,"

* * *

Daryl was returning to his seat after his impromptu report about Ben Franklin. Mr. Nesbitt had asked him to give to the class, from up front.

"That was very good, Daryl," Mr Nesbitt said, almost beaming.

"Thank you, sir," Daryl replied, turning to sit on his chair.

Turtle was fighting the urge to sink down in his chair, since Daryl had not been careful about hiding his ability to gather information in a seemingly inhuman way.

Daryl had practically regurgitated the information he had read from the textbook, with little analysis of his own.

Mr. Nesbitt had also noticed the way Daryl had given his report, but didn't wanting to hurt his feelings, "The boy's trying. Maybe he needs more practise giving presentations," he thought, "They could all probably use some, actually,"

* * *

Graycliffe was on the phone, speaking with Senator Blackman and Representative Shaun Mailor, a Republican member of the House of Representatives, and the Chairman of the House Committee on Armed Services, "Gentlemen, we have a problem here, and I would like to deal with it in the most reasonable way possible,"

"Yes, General, we understand your position," they chorused.

"However," Representative Mailor said, "We are also worried about the possible security and secrecy issues involved in the prototype being outside the laboratory. We are also dismayed at the fact that one of the scientists invited outsiders into the facility you have down there in Florida,"

"Well, sir," Genral Graycliffe said, in response to Representative Mailor's concerns, "You can blame me, because of when I told the senior scientist that the project was being ended. I then gave him and his people a week-and-a-half to comply with those orders. That gave him time to invite them afte my announcement, and possibly hobble the project's secrecy requirements. These _outsiders_, as you call them, already _knew_ Daryl, sir. They took Daryl in as foster parents after Dr. Mulligan released him the first time. In hindsight, about the whole thing, I probably should have shown up at TASCOM with the announcement as an ultimatum,"

"Yes, General," Representative Mailor agreed, "But now we have to deal with an escaped military prototype that you are now telling us is _alive_, of all things,"

"With all due respect, sir, I would ask you to meet _it_ before finally deciding if it is a living being or not," General Graycliffe said.

"We have, General," Senator Blackman said, "including the point-of-view videos from when Daryl was initially outside the lab, interacting with others. Thank you for sending us those, along with the facility visit tapes. Put together, it was all quite instructive about what the scientists have accomplished,"

"Thank you, Sir," General Graycliffe said to Senator Blackman, "I can't help but notice that you are using the project acronym as if it was the initial prototype's given name, sir. Also, gentlemen, is there disagreement between the Senate and House Armed Services Committees about how to deal with things?"

Representative Mailor exhaled audibly, "General, the _Joint_ Congressional Armed Services Committee, co-chaired by myself and Senator Blackman, _hasn't_ come to a final decision. We will only do _that_ after meeting with you, Dr. Lamb, the prototype and his adoptive family in person, here in Washington,"

General Graycliffe nodded, feeling relieved, "Thank you, sir," He didn't want to have to tell the Richardsons that Daryl was being taken back from them, for good. He now had a good idea of how close they had become to him, and how close Daryl was to them. General Graycliffe shook his head in wonderment, thinking, "Becoming close to what is supposed to have been a test-bed for military hardware…? I guess that's what can happen if you play God…,"

"Well, General," Representative Mailor said, "It has been good speaking with you. One of us will be calling back in a couple of days with a date, time and place where the joint committee will be meeting,"

"Thank you, gentlemen. I look forward to hearing from you then," General Graycliffe said, "Goodbye then,"

Senator Blackman and Representative Mailor each said their goodbyes to General Graycliffe.

General Graycliffe hung up from his end of the connection.


	15. School Reintegration and Disaster Plans

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

School Reintegration & Plans in Case of Disaster

Andrea was looking at Daryl, as he sat down, a mixture of amazement and disgust at how "geeky" he seemed, "How'd you learn all that so fast!?"

Daryl shrugged, "It was all here in the textbook…,"

Turtle tried not to look worried, thinking, "He's using his computer brain, But he doesn't know to hide how different that makes him,"

Trudi was looking in her textbook, at the information it had about Ben Franklin, then looked at Daryl, "But you just read it out loud to the whole class! Our assignment would be failed for doing that!"

Turtle took that moment to nod, saying, "But don't be so loud, Trudi…," He was worried about getting the teacher's unwanted attention.

Trudi shrugged, "What? I'm not being that loud,"

"Trudi," Daryl started, "remember my amnesia? Maybe I haven't remembered how to do presentations properly yet,"

Trudi sat back, relenting, "OK, boys. But I'll be watching you, Daryl,"

Andrea nodded in agreement, "Yeah. We don't want have to fight you for marks, smart-Aleck,"

"Smart-Aleck?" Daryl asked, not having heard the phrase before.

"It means you're being too clever," Andrea explained.

"Oh," Daryl said, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that was possible,"

Andrea nodded, leaning across her desk, "And it makes others look stupid. People don't like that. I'll be watching you too,"

Daryl shrugged, "Oh, OK,"

Turtle tried not to act to nervously about the possibility that Daryl's secret might be revealed, "Why don't you girls leave Daryl alone? Can you imagine what it's like for his parents not to want him any-more?"

Daryl nodded, frowning.

Andrea smiled warmly, putting her hand on his, "I'm sorry,"

Daryl nodded, smiling weakly, "Alright, I accept your apology Andrea,"

"Thanks," Andrea said, still smiling, "I wonder what more Mr. Nesbitt can tell us about Ben Franklin,"

Daryl nodded, turning back to the front of the class, "Mr. Nesbitt, did I miss anything?"

Mr. Nesbitt frowned, "Not from the textbook. In fact you simply read back the textbook, didn't you?"

Daryl nodded.

"A bit more study on your part, next time," Mr. Nesbitt said, enigmatically, catching Daryl's body language.

"Yes, Mr. Nesbitt, sir," Daryl said, realizing the teacher wasn't happy with him.

"That's good, Daryl," Mr. Nesbitt replied, turned to the rest of the class, "Would somebody else like to tell the class about Ben Franklin? Besides what the book says?"

* * *

Dr. Lamb knocked on General Graycliffe's door.

"Come in!" General Graycliffe called.

Dr. Lamb stuck her head into his office, "Sir, I was wondering how people would handle Daryl ever breaking down. I believe we all were surprised at how resilient he seems to be, living 'outside' the way he is, but I am worried about the field trip his class will be going on. They're studying magnetism. If Daryl got hit by a strong electromagnetic field, to put it mildly, he'd be in trouble. I was wondering about sending him a bracelet with contact information for TASCOM on it,"

"TASCOM had better _not_ be mentioned by name, doctor," General Gracyliffe warned.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I understand sir. It could tell someone to call my direct office line. 'If Daryl loses conciousness, call'…, that sort of thing, sir. My name could be placed on it instead, couldn't it?"

"What about outside of office hours?" General Graycliffe asked, beckoning for Dr. Lamb to enter his office, "Put your apartment's phone number on it as well?" General Graycliffe enquired.

Dr. Lamb sighed, entered and sat down, "Maybe I should contact Medic-Alert?"

General Graycliffe frowned, "That would probably not be a good idea, seeing as these things we would have to tell _them_, are a national security secret,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "It just seems like an extra complication, that's all sir,"

General Graycliffe nodded, in agreement, "Well, he's out there now doctor, and you seemed to accept the situation. You've even persuaded _me_ to accept it, at least without an order that would otherwise force my hand on the matter,"

"Well, sir," Dr. Lamb started, "if he's alive, then to shut him down would be murder, wouldn't it?"

General Graycliffe nodded, saying with some accusation in his voice, "I understand what you're saying. But, having him in the outside world, trying to be a normal kid, it turns out is _more_ complicated than I think either of you _thought_," he paused, "or Dr. Mulligan _before_ you, thought,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, having to concede the point, "I don't even know how far Dr. Mulligan thought about things, but yes sir, I suppose it has turned out that way. I'm not sorry, though," she raised an eyebrow, "It's still, actually, an interesting experiment in artificial intelligence,"

"He wasn't supposed to be this life-like, though," General Graycliffe gently protested.

Dr. Lamb nodded, having to agree, "And the second prototype won't be,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "I'm glad to hear it,"

"I thought you might be," Dr. Lamb said, "Have you given any thought on where we might get the second prototype _life-form_ from?" she asked, then wondered aloud, "Can you make a Private disappear?"

General Graycliffe shook his head, "I hadn't started thinking about that yet, but you make an interesting suggestion. Daryl, if I recall correctly, was 'introduced' to TASCOM after a staged hit-and-run accident wasn't he?"

Dr. Lamb frowned, and nodded, "Though of course he'd been here before if the school or day-care was on holiday. I even have a picture of him with me and Jeffrey when he was a little boy," she smiled wistfully.

General Graycliffe nodded, trying to hide his regret at what he had done, "I guess that was before my time,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Yes sir. It was shortly after we moved here from Stanford,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "And my predecessor made you take your initial research and keep further developments of it under wraps,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "But we were able to hire Dr. Mulligan with financial assistance from the military. Neither of _us_ were going to operate on Daryl, before the device was implanted in him. The things that had to be done were just too extreme. We had to have Dr. Mulligan as a bad guy, a 'meanie', so to speak. I'm glad he understood at the time,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "It's interesting that he was the first to realize the full extent of what you'd managed to do, in a way,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Once Daryl was 'concious' again, we had to have somebody take care of him, and to train him. We had other parts of the project that needed to be looked into at the time. Dr. Mulligan basically lived here with Daryl, baby-sitting him,"

"Tell me doctor," General Graycliffe started, "How did Dr. Mulligan get Daryl out of TASCOM?"

Dr. Lamb shrugged, "The security had never been very tight. It seemed better to keep the project a secret, if there was less visible security activity around. At least, that was the idea. Me and Jeffrey, having completed most of our work on Daryl, took a holiday. Dr. Mulligan took Daryl out for a trip, and he never came back,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "So we sent a search party after them, once the two of you had returned from a _well-deserved_ holiday. The last the searchers saw was the car going over the edge of a mountain road, into a narrow-and-rocky river valley,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, understanding, "But we knew Daryl was still going when we received a signal from him that night,"

"Why couldn't we find him based on the information he was sending back," General Graycliffe asked, "Doctor?"

"Because Dr. Mulligan had set up an encryption scheme, once we had left, before he left with Daryl. We couldn't read the data that was being sent back each night," Dr. Lamb explained, "The encryption-key value being used was stored in Daryl's local memory," she tapped the side of her head, "That gave Daryl access to his long-term behaviour-training patterns, from the time Dr. Mulligan took him from here. But he couldn't retrieve any 'experience' memories from before that, so he just knew how to do things with no memory of how he had learned them. Once Daryl was back here, we were able to get the key value, and decrypt the memories which he had stored since his being released by Dr. Mulligan. We then also helped him regain full access to his long-term memory banks, from before then,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "So we had to add pictures of him into the regular intelligence gathering procedures of the military,"

"Thank you," Dr. Lamb nodded, then paused, "I suppose,"

General Graycliffe cleared his throat, "You certainly were in support of those actions at the time, doctor, _both_ of you were,"

"Certainly, sir," Dr. Lamb said, with certainty, "We needed to get him back. But in hindsight it _was_ a good test of his artificial intelligence and autonomous learning algorithms, to have him out in-the-wild, so to speak,"

General Graycliffe frowned, "Your husband would seem to have agreed with that position, doctor,"

"Of course he did, sir," Dr. Lamb explained, "We both felt that way, after seeing the data he had collected while outside,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "I suppose you were both right. I'm sorry that I didn't pick up on things _earlier_, doctor,"

"What's done is done, but thank you, sir," Dr. Lamb said.

General Graycliff nodded, "You're welcome,"

"You can check out our raw data, at any-time, sir," Dr. Lamb said, reminding him of their discussion a couple of days ago.

"Of course," General Graycliffe said, "and I _will_ be keeping a closer eye on things from now on, _personally_,"

"Yes sir," Dr. Lamb said, "Will the congress members be watching us closely now?"

"They might," General Graycliffe shrugged, reminding her, "and of course they would have every right to,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Yes, of course, sir,"

* * *

Daryl and Turtle sat alone at a table in the corner of the school cafeteria, having lunch.

"So, Daryl," Turtle quietly started, "You have to learn a few things about school still, don't you?"

Daryl nodded, "I suppose so. You think I should take notes, and others are mad with me for be a Smart-Aleck…,"

Turtle nodded, "As your friend, I understand what their saying, and if you're not careful, they're going to start wondering. If they start wondering, and they figure it out, than you've had it,"

Daryl frowned, not understanding, "What do you mean?"

'_Daryl,_" Turtle softly exclaimed, shaking his head with dismay, "if they figure stuff out, then it's no longer a secret, _is it!_ It has to stay secret, remember?"

Daryl nodded, "Yes, certainly. What should I do, then?"

Turtle sat back, wondering, "You said your parents didn't want you, but that isn't true. _We_ both know that,"

Daryl nodded, "You said it, not me,"

Turtle frowned, "Sorry, I set things up worse than I intended. I just wanted to get the girls to buzz-off,"

"They did, didn't they?" Daryl asked, "'Buzz off', I mean,"

"But now they probably feel _sorry_ for you," Turtle said, nodding, "You don't want to play along with _that_, do you?-I wouldn't,"

Daryl looked glumly at his tuna sandwich, and nodded, "What would be wrong with it?"

Turtle sighed loudly, not wanting to explain, but figuring he probably had to, "Daryl, have you _any_ idea how _upsetting_ that'd be for you?" Turtle shuddered, momentarily wondering how he would react in that situation. The vision he had in his mind wasn't pretty.

Daryl nodded glumly, "My dad is dead, you know. I saw it happen,"

Turtle put his hand on Daryl's shoulder warmly, sensing that his friend might need him, "I'm sorry…,"

"Thank you, Turtle," Daryl said softly, "I appreciate it,"

Turtle nodded, returning to his lunch, "Alright, now eat up. You want to meet with the others in the library again?"

"Sure," Daryl said, eating his sandwich.

Turtle nodded, "You almost done?" he started to get up from where he sat at the table.

Daryl nodded, finishing his sandwich and standing up with Turtle, "Yeah, let's go,"

Turtle smiled, and headed for the doors leading from the cafeteria, "OK,"

Daryl followed Turtle from the cafeteria, and they walked together to the library.

* * *

Dr. Lamb picked up her phone, and dialled General Graycliffe's extension.

General Graycliffe answered on the second ring, "Graycliffe,"

"Sir," Dr. Lamb said, "I was just wondering about where I should get the bracelet from, for Daryl,"

"What exactly were you wondering about it?" General Graycliffe asked.

"Is there anybody in the military who could make it for us?" Dr. Lamb wondered aloud.

"Why do that?" General Graycliffe replied.

"Well, if we _don't_, we're going to have to go out and find a jeweller who won't ask too many unnecessary questions," Dr. Lamb suggested.

General Graycliffe was quiet for a moment, "I understand where you're coming from, doctor. I will start looking into it immediately,"


	16. Socializing & Security Checks

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Socializing & Security Checks

Turtle and Daryl walked into the library, where others were seemingly waiting for them.

Daryl said hello to the group of children in the library.

"Hi Daryl," Trudi said warmly, "sorry about those questions I asked you earlier. I didn't know that had happened. I'm sorry,"

Daryl nodded, "It's OK, I guess. You couldn't know,"

"Gee, thanks," Trudi said, blushing, feeling 'off-the-hook'.

"OK," Daryl said, then he looked around at the other children, "What were you doing just now?"

Andrea shrugged, "Just wondering what made it so easy for you to read that stuff in front of the class,"

Daryl shrugged, "I guess I'm just good at it,"

Hannibal quickly raised his hand, saying, "_I_ think it's because of your earlier memory loss—Maybe it makes it easier for you to remember stuff quickly,"

Daryl shrugged, "It might, but I did tell Turtle that I could start remembering stuff. In fact, I did, like the fact I have _no_ brothers or sisters and my parents were computer scientists,"

Andrea looked uncomfortable, "How did you dad die, Daryl?"

"Andrea!", Turtle exclaimed, "Is that any of your business!?"

Daryl looked at Andrea sadly, "Yeah! You think I want to think about it!?"

Andrea shook her head, "I am sorry, Daryl,"

Daryl smiled sadly, "Thank you, Andrea. I might get over it,"

Andrea gave Daryl smile, "I hope so too,"

Daryl smiled warmly, "Thank you,"

Andrea nodded, "For sure,"

Someone was taping Daryl firmly on the shoulder, "Hey! Is it Daryl again?" James Frost said, with forced cheer.

Daryl turned around, "Yes, James Frost, it's me. What do you want?"

James Frost shrugged, "I just wanted to say Hi, punk,"

Turtle turned to James Frost, "Hey, Frost! Get lost!"

James Frost stepped forward menacingly, toward Turtle, "You gonna make me?"

Daryl frowned, "If he won't, I will!"

James Frost turned toward Daryl, "Eh, what did you say?"

"Leave him," Daryl paused, "alone, James Frost,"

James Frost balled his fists and raised his arms to hit Daryl.

Daryl balled his fists and rammed them into James Frost's unprotected abdomen, with all his strength.

James Frost's eyes went wide with surprise, as he crumpled to the floor.

Daryl frowned down at James Frost, "You think I haven't remembered how to fight you?"

"What?" James Frost croaked.

"That first time I had to learn first, but I never forget what I learn," Daryl said.

"Darn!" Turtle exclaimed, "You got him!"

Daryl turned his head to Turtle, and nodded, then looked down at James Frost, "Are you going to leave us alone now?"

James Frost nodded slightly.

Daryl got down on one knee, holding out his hand to James Frost, "I'll help you up, if you want me to,"

James Frost nodded, and took Daryl's hand.

Turtle watched, warily.

Daryl helped James Frost stand up.

James Frost looked at Daryl oddly, "Why … are you helping me?"

Daryl shrugged, taking his hand away, "I don't want to fight you, James,"

James Frost looked at Daryl even more oddly, "But I'll beat up this pipsqueak," he tilted his head in Turtle's direction.

Turtle glanced nervously at Daryl.

"Then I'll have to tell Mr. Nesbitt," Daryl said.

"I'll tell him what you did to me!" James Frost snarled.

"You started it…," Daryl reminded, crossing his arms, "You want me to tell Mr. Nesbitt _that?_"

"_You_ wouldn't tell on me. _Nobody_ likes a tattle-tale … " James Frost said threateningly.

Daryl shrugged, "If you do something you shouldn't, sure I would. What's a tattle-tale, anyway?"

James Frost almost laughed, "You don't know?"

Daryl shook his head.

James glared, "It means someone who tells on somebody when they do stuff that'll get then in trouble! You want that?"

Daryl shrugged, "If they've done something they shouldn't, they _should_ get in trouble,"

"Eh?" James said, menacingly stepping toward Daryl.

Daryl stood his ground, "You _know_ I can fight you, James. I don't _want_ to, but I _will_ if I have to,"

James nodded slowly, "You seem to always best me, not like your buddy Turtle-What kind of name is _that_ anyway?"

Turtle frowned, "It's my name, numbskull!"

"Who'd name their kid that?" James wondered aloud, "I always wondered,"

Turtle sighed, and walked away, this was an old goad coming from James Frost.

"Hey!", James Frost said, following after Turtle, "What you gonna do? Just hide in your shell?" he almost laughed.

Turtle frowned, turning back to James Frost, "Very funny!"

Daryl looked at Turtle strangely, "It doesn't look or sound like you found what he said funny at all…"

Turtle swiftly put his hand up to stop stop Daryl "Later, Daryl,"

"Oh, OK," Daryl said, not understanding, but prepared to leave things as they were.

Turtle smiled at Daryl, "Thanks,"

The school "period" bell rang, indicating the end of the lunch period.

"Let's get back to class?" Daryl asked.

Turtle nodded glumly, not wanting to go back to class, but figuring it was probably the best. Turtle may be a pain to his sister, but he'd never been one to "skip" classes.

James Frost glared at Daryl, "Brown noser!"

Daryl frowned at James Frost, confused, "What?"

Turtle quickly took Daryl's nearest arm, and started turning him towards the door leading from the library to the hallway, "Let's go, Daryl …,"

Daryl tried to shrug in Turtle's grasp, "OK," he as Turtle steered him to the door. The other kids followed behind, with James Frost in the back of the group.

Turtle let go of Daryl's arm, once they were in the hallway.

Daryl whispered to Turtle, "What's a brown-noser?"

Turtle shrugged, "He probably thinks you're being too good. I guess he doesn't like the fact that you suggested we should get back to class. You're right, I guess, but _he_ won't admit that,"

"Oh," Daryl said.

Turtle nodded, glad to see that Daryl was learning something that Turtle had learned through life experience. Something which, Turtle now supposed, Daryl hadn't had exposure to.

* * *

Dr. Lamb was taking a break from working on the communications protocol upgrade. In fact, she had gone home for lunch. She was sitting at the kitchen table in her base apartment, the business phone directory to one side, and a a pad and pen in front of her.

"Hello, James Howard' Custom Jewellery. Angela Howard speaking. How may I help you?" the voice on the other end of the phone line said, answering the phone.

"Hello, my name is Ellen Lamb, and I was wondering if yo could create a special bracelet for me?" Dr. Lamb said.

"Certainly, Ms Lamb. What would it look like?" Angela asked.

"I imagine it would be a simple metal bracelet, with some text printed on the inside. Can I come in to speak with somebody about the design?" Dr. Lamb asked.

"Certainly, Ms. Lamb, we are open to five," Angela said.

Dr. Lamb confirmed the address, and wrote the information, including the closing time, down on the pad of paper in front of her. Dr. Lamb quickly thanked Angela for the information, and hung up. She then dialled another number, in the TASCOM building

"Graycliffe," General Graycliffe replied brusquely.

"Hello, sir. I've just called a custom jewellery maker, and I thought you might want to check them out, security-wise," Dr. Lamb said.

"Uh-hmm," General Graycliffe said, sensing she wasn't finished, "and?"

"I was thinking of going down there this afternoon, to speak with them about our requirements. But, here's their contact information, sir," Dr. Lamb read the information she had written down on the paper.

"Thank you, doctor. We'll get right on it. When should the boy have the bracelet by?" General asked.

"In a couple of days, I would hope, sir," Dr. Lamb said, "I was going to go down to the shop this afternoon, to start discussing the design and such,"

General Graycliffe grumbled, "Doctor, let us do the security checks first, before you do that,"

Dr. Lamb sighed, "Alright sir, let me know _as soon_ as it's done, though,"

"Certainly, Dr.," General Graycliffe assured her.

"Oh, General?" Dr. Lamb enquired, out-of-the-blue.

"Yes, doctor?" General Graycliffe replied.

"I was wondering if Daryl's games and toys could be taken from his old bedroom? They shoud be seent to his adoptive parents'" Dr. Lamb explained.

"I'll see to that, doctor," General Graycliffe assured her.

Dr. Lamb and General Graycliffe each said their good-byes, then hung up their ends of the phone connection.

* * *

Turtle and Daryl were back in class, watching and listening to Mr. Nesbitt's lesson about electromagnetism.

Daryl raised his hand.

"Yes, you there, Daryl?" Mr. Nesbitt enquired, in reply to Daryl's raised hand.

"Why are electromagnets dangerous to computers?" Daryl asked.

Turtle quickly put his hand firmly on Daryl's nearest arm, which he was resting on the desk, and gave it a sharp but not uncomfortable squeeze. Turtle prayed that Andrea and Trudi hadn't noticed.

They didn't.

Daryl glanced at Turtle, "What?"

Turtle shook his head, frowning, then hissed in Daryl's, "I'll explain later,"

"Well, Daryl," Mr. Nesbitt said, "that's an interesting question… Maybe you should try to remember that question for the field-trip to the science museum,"

Daryl nodded, "OK, I will,"

"I'm sure you will…," Turtle thought to himself, relaxing, and taking his hand from Daryl's arm.

Mr. Nesbitt's attention returned to teaching the lesson, occasionally answering other students questions.

* * *

Joyce was finishing up teaching one of her piano students, when someone was opening the front door.

"Hi, mom!" Daryl called, sticking his head around the door.

Joyce put her hand up in Daryl's direction, "I'll be there in a second…," the she stood up, saying good bye to the girl she had been teaching, the she followed the little girl out to the front hall, showing her out through the front door, which Daryl was holding open.

"I'm sorry, Mom," Daryl said after the girl had left, and he closed the door, "I didn't mean to interrupt your teaching,"

Joyce shook her head, "It's alright Daryl, we were just finishing up. Now, a large parcel just arrived for you. I think it was from Dr. Lamb,"

"Oh?" Daryl asked, mildly surprised.

Joyce nodded, "I put it up in your room. I'll come up in a little while and we can look through what she's sent you. Alright?"

Daryl nodded, "OK, mom. Thanks for telling me. I'll go see what they have sent me," then he quickly walked up stairs.

Joyce nodded as she returned to cleaning up the front room.

Daryl opened his bedroom door, and saw a large cardboard box sittign in the middle of the room. Daryl tried to open the box, but it was securely sealed with wide packing tape. Daryl walked out to the halway, and called downstairs, "Mom, I can't get it open! I think there's tape keeping it closed…,"

"Alright, Daryl," Joyce called back, "I'll be up there in a second,"

Daryl sat down on the edge of his bed, and waited patiently.

Joyce came up stairs, carrying a small kitchen knife, "I brought this with me. I'm sure it will help,"

Daryl stood up, "OK, mom," He walked toward the box.

Joyce poked the tape with the pointed end of the knife, then cut the tape along the top, and across the ends of the box, "There we go," Joyce opened the box.

Daryl looked inside the box, "It's the cognitive training supplies, from the room I lived in at TASCOM,"

Joyce looked in the box, "They look like puzzles and games,"

"Is that what they are?" Daryl asked, looking back at Joyce.

Joyce nodded, raising an eyebrow, "That's what they look like to me, but you said they are training supplies?"

Daryl nodded, understanding, "That's what the scientists called them,"

"Well," Joyce said, "From now on, you might want to call them puzzles and games, especially around others. 'Cognitive training supplies' sounds kinda odd, especially coming from a youngster," Joyce gave Daryl a warm smile.

Daryl returned her smile, "Alright mom, I will,"

"Turtle might understand, but he's the only one who you should talk like that in front of," Joyce gently explained and warned.

Daryl raised an eyebrow, "What about Dad?"

Joyce nodded, "He'd get it, I can explain to him if he doesn't. We can tell him about this delivery anyway,"

Daryl nodded, understanding, "OK, Mom,"

Joyce embraced Daryl around his shoulders, from one side.

Daryl turned to Joyce in her embrace, his arms raised and out-stretched to return it.

Joyce knelt down beside Daryl and returned the hug he was trying to give her, "I'm glad you understand all of this," she said softly.

Daryl nodded over Joyce' shoulder, his arms around her neck,"I know there are things that have to be kept secret. Is this one of them?"

Joyce released her embrace of Daryl's shoulders, and nodded at him, "Yes, because most people wouldn't really understand what that term meant without you explaining about your electronic brain,"

Daryl nodded, "I understand,"

"Good," Joyce said, then she stood up, and tilted her head towards the open box, "Want to put the things in there on your shelves here?"

Daryl nodded, "OK, mom. I will,"

Joyce nodded back, heading for the door, "OK, I'll be down stairs cooking supper. I'll call you when it's ready, OK?"

"OK," Daryl said, as he reached into the box, and started pulling out the puzzles and games.

Joyce left Daryl to organize things in his room.

* * *

Dr. Lamb was sitting in her office, when someone was knocking on the door, "Come in!" she called, "It's open!"

The door opened, and General Graycliffe stuck his head around the door, "The counter-intelligence and espionage people from the Defence Intelligence Agency just got back to me, and the jeweller is in the clear,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Thank you, sir,"

General Graycliffe entered the room, and nodded, "I thought you would feel that way. When do you want to meet with these people?"

Dr. Lamb looked at her watch, "Not today, sir, they're about to close,"

"Tomorrow then?" General Graycliffe enquired.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Yes, I may come in tomorrow a bit later than usual,"

General Graycliffe raised an eyebrow, "Not too much later, I hope,"

"I'll certainly try not to be too late. I _do_ have things to do here, after all, regarding the modification to the data transmission protocol. Now, since the jeweller has been cleared, security-wise, I was thinking I might go into town and meet with them before coming into work. I should probably get _that_ ball rolling, so-to-speak," Dr. Lamb explained.

General Graycliffe relaxed his facial expression, and nodded in agreement, "I understand. I'll see you when you get in then?"


	17. Discipline Talk & Bracelet Ordering

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Discipline Talk & Bracelet Ordering

Joyce came back upstairs, after getting supper started, and stuck her head into Daryl's room, "How's your unpacking coming?"

Daryl looked up from one of the games that had come, put it to one side, and stood up, "They are all away, mom,"

Joyce smiled warmly, entering Daryl's room, "That's good. What game were you playing?"

Daryl shrugged, "Just a shape matching exercise, to pass the time, that's all,"

Joyce looked at Daryl, mildly concerned, "You don't have a problem with shape matching, do you?"

Daryl shook his head, "No, not now Mom, but I remember the training process I went through to learn how to recognize shapes,"

Joyce nodded, somewhat understanding, she sat down beside Daryl, on the side of his bed, "You know, it takes most of us some time to learn that, but we start learning how to recognize shapes almost immediately, certainly of immediate family, That's how we recognize people,"

Daryl nodded, indicating his understanding of what he was being told, "I had to repeat your names when I met you and Dad. That's how I recognized people then, putting names to faces that is, but by the time I met Turtle, the next day, I didn't have to. I noticed that you and Dad didn't, so I stopped doing it too,"

Joyce smiled warmly, "OK, it's better that you act as normally as possible around those who shouldn't know your secret, Daryl,"

Daryl nodded gravely, "I know,"

Joyce embraced Daryl around his shoulder's, pulling him close to her, "That's what I expected,"

Daryl smiled back warmly, "Of course. Remember, I don't forget things I have been told,"

Joyce nodded, relaxing her embrace around Daryl's shoulders, "Of course you don't,"

"James Frost was bugging me and Turtle again, I had to beat him up again," Daryl said matter-of-factly.

Joyce frowned and quickly stood up, turning back to face Daryl, "Daryl! You didn't! Why!?"

Daryl hung his head for a moment, his hands clasped between his knees, then he looked back up at Joyce, "He was bugging us again. He knows I can beat him up, I did it before,"

Joyce' eyes went wide, her hands on her hips, she stood over him, exclaiming, "**Daryl**! What did you do it for in the _first_ place!?"

Daryl shrugged, "He was beating up Turtle, the first time. James Frost said Turtle had been laughing at him in class, so he beat him up. I tried to defend Turtle, so James attacked me,"

Joyce raised an eyebrow, "Had Turtle been laughing at James?"

Daryl shrugged, and shook his head, "No, I think James Frost just says things like that. Certainly, I never saw Turtle laugh at him. I think Turtle might even be nervous of him,"

Joyce raised her other eyebrow, "James is bullying Turtle?"

Daryl shrugged, "James bullies most of us," Daryl paused, "But Mr. Nesbitt isn't much better, sometimes,"

Joyce frowned at Daryl, "What on _Earth_ are you talking about now?"

Daryl gave Joyce a side-long glance, "He gets mad easily,"

"Daryl," Joyce said slowly, "some kids don't behave as well as they should in school, either. He probably had a reason to get mad when he did,"

Daryl nodded uncertainly, "I noticed some kids cheat, but threatening them they'd be in his 'Bad Books' forever? What are bad books, anyway?"

"Oh, Daryl," Joyce said, trying not to sound too exasperated, "That's just a saying, and he didn't mean _forever_,"

"You're sure?" Daryl asked.

Joyce nodded, smiling warmly, "Yes, I'm sure. Grown-ups sometimes say things like that to influence children's behaviour,"

"Oh," Daryl said, somewhat understanding, "when I did something I should have, people just told me not to do it, and I didn't to it again,"

"Well," Joyce said "that's because your memory is so good, and you want to please people. Most of us certainly don't have a memory as good as yours, so the memory needs to be reinforced somehow. It's almost like you've literally been programmed that way, in a way, I guess you have been. Often people do what they think is best for them, not always thinking about others. I'm sorry to say it, but threats of being in somebody's 'Bad Books' is meant as reinforcement to help people remember to behave,"

Daryl nodded, "I guess that's true, I have been programmed to behave well. Turtle mentioned something like that once; he said he almost didn't like me because I was so good,"

Joyce almost smiled in spite of herself, "Well, that's just how some, no, most kids are. That's what the Foxes told your dad and me," Joyce stopped for a moment, "I remember sometimes being rotten, and getting into trouble for it,"

Daryl smiled, "They know a lot about kids? The Foxes?"

"Well, hey have two of their own, of course," Joyce said, "but yeah, given they're training they probably do have a good idea about kids. But, Daryl, about this Frost boy, I don't want you getting into anymore fights with him. Tell a teacher, or other school staff. That's another thing they are there for. Let James Frost get into an adult's Bad Books, for a change,"

"Oh, OK," Daryl said, nodding, "Yes Mom,"

Joyce looked in the nearly empty box, finding an envelope at the bottom, "Oh, Daryl," Joyce said, pulling the envelope from the box, "did you see this?" In the upper-left corner were the following letters:

TASCOM

Daryl shook his head, "No, I didn't,"

Joyce read the hand-written scrawl on the envelope, "It says, 'To Daryl & Family',"

Daryl nodded, "I see that. Can we open it?"

"Certainly, Daryl," Joyce said, almost tearing open the top edge of the envelope, and pulling out a folded sheet of white unlined paper. Joyce unfolded the piece of paper, which had the TASCOM letter-head in the upper-left corner, it had the current date on it, and it was similarly addressed "To Daryl & Family,"

Daryl caught a rectangular piece of stiff paper falling from the unfolded letter, "What's this mom?" Daryl asked, staring somewhat curiously at the ad-hoc business card he held in his hand.

Joyce put up a hand to Daryl momentarily, then she began to read aloud, "I am giving you Daryl's logic exercise games from his room here at TASCOM. I initially brought them with me on the first night I met you at your home, but we got side-tracked by other things. Also, enclosed you will find a make-shift business card of sorts. Since TASCOM is a top-secret organization, we don't have any official business cards to give out. On the card you will find my direct office line and my home number. If you can't reach me at home outside of office hours, please call my TASCOM office line, since we do have an automated answering service there, and I will be checking for messages fairly regularly. Daryl should be receiving a special bracelet in a few days, which will also have the same information on it, but the card should be with him at all times until then. However, since you will not be using a secure line yourselves, I would encourage you to be very careful how you speak to me about things when calling. All you will really need to do is tell me Daryl needs my help, where he is, and the time you called if you're leaving a message. Thank you, and I hope Daryl enjoys his 'games'," Joyce paused, "Signed, Dr. Ellen Lamb. PS, you may show this letter to Turtle and his parents,"

Daryl look at Joyce, his head tilted to one side, "Why did Dr. Lamb send me this card?"

Joyce shrugged imperceptibly, "I guess she wants you to have contact information for her, in case you get intro trouble,"

Someone could be heard knocking on the front door, from downstairs.

Joyce got up from Daryl's bed, "I'll see who that is,"

"Daryl!" Turtle's muffled voice could heard calling.

Daryl quickly got up, "I wonder what Turtle wants?"

Joyce shook her head, not knowing either, "Let's find out, hmm?"

Daryl nodded his agreement, and followed Joyce out of his room, and downstairs.

As Joyce reached the bottom of the stairs, she called, "We're coming, Turtle!"

Turtle had stopped banging on the door.

Sherie-Lee was with him, they were both smiling.

"Yes? What is it?" Joyce asked, opening the door.

"Sherie-Lee can come with us!" Turtle said excitedly.

"Oh, good!" Daryl said.

Sherie-Lee nodded, "All I have to do is get my homework for that day a day early,"

Joyce smiled warmly, "That's great news! My husband signed Daryl's permission slip but we didn't want to send it in to school with him until we'd heard from you,"

Sherie-Lee nodded, then frowned slightly, "Daryl could really need me, couldn't he?"

Joyce nodded, and sighed, "Yes, he might,"

"But it'll be neat until then, won't it?" Daryl asked, sticking his head out from behind Joyce, glancing up at her.

Turtle shrugged, "Sure, if you're into that stuff,"

Daryl turned to Turtle, looking a little surprised, "You're not?"

Turtle pursed his lips slightly, and shook his head, explaining, "Nah, I'm not really into that 'egg-head' stuff,"

"'Egg-head' stuff?" Daryl asked, confused, having never heard the term before.

"Turtle," Joyce said, "you seemed excited at TASCOM, when we were being told about Daryl,"

Turtle almost tossed his hands up, as he shrugged, "Well, that _was_ about Daryl,"

Joyce nodded, "You probably noticed how upset me and Andy were?"

Turtle nodded, frowning momentarily, "Yes, hard to miss,"

"You were upset, Mom?" Daryl asked.

Joyce nodded, turning to Daryl momentarily, "Yes, Daryl. We weren't ready to hear that you had a computer in your head. It was rather a shock for us, especially me,"

"I'm sorry, Mom," Daryl said.

Joyce shook her head, putting an arm around Daryl's shoulders, she smiled down warmly, "Don't worry. It wasn't your fault, you didn't seem to know either, when you were here before,"

Daryl nodded, "That's true, I don't know why though,"

Joyce nodded to Daryl, with a sigh, then smiled warmly at Turtle and Sherie-Lee, "Daryl got some games of his from TASCOM. Would you like to see them?"

Turtle grinned, trying not to look hurt as he felt at seemingly being left out, "You had computer games, and you didn't tell me?"

Joyce shook her head, "No, Turtle, they're things like puzzles and stuff. Matching physical shapes, and-the-like,"

"Oh," Turtle said, not so excited.

Sherie-Lee frowned at her brother, glancing down at him scornfully, as if she wanted to thump him, "Turtle!"

Joyce shook her head, almost laughing, "No, it's alright, Sherie-Lee. Given Daryl's secret, I can imagine where he might have guessed that. However, from what Daryl's said, they are exercises that were provided to train his artificial intelligence. How that works, I have no idea,"

Sherie-Lee nodded, understanding, "Well, me and Turtle where just coming over to let you know that I can go on the trip with the boys,"

"Altight, good bye then, you two," Joyce replied.

"Good-bye," Daryl said, "Thank you for telling us,"

"No problem, Daryl, you know that," Sherie-Lee said, about to turn and head down the front steps.

Turtle followed Sherie-Lee home.

* * *

Dr. Lamb got up early the next morning, intending to be at the jewellers when they opened. She arrived a few minutes after they had. She entered the store, trying not to scurry.

"Hello, ma'am. How may I help you?" James Howard said. He was a bespectacled gentleman in a green tweed vest over a cotton long-sleeved shirt and he wore tan trousers.

Dr. Lamb smiled warmly, "Yes, I spoke with a young lady a couple of days ago about having a bracelet made for my nephew,"

Mr. Howard nodded warmly, "Ah, yes. She told me you were interested in coming in to speak with us about such a thing,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I need to have contact information, for me, placed on it. On the inside, so it isn't so conspicuous. I don't want him embarrassed about his memory difficulties,"

Mr. Howard nodded, "Ah, poor boy,"

Dr., Lamb smiled sadly, nodded again, in agreement, "Yes, it has been sad, but he's living with me and his uncle now,"

Mr. Howard nodded, not wanting to pry further, "What exactly should go on the bracelet?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, and told him the phone numbers, and what they called, in general.

Mr. Howard nodded, "And when would you like this ready?"

"As soon as you can, would be appreciated," Dr. Lamb said.

Mr. Howard smiled warmly, "Of course, I will get started on it immediately,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Thank you,"

"My pleasure," Mr. Howard said.

Dr. Lamb turned to leave, "I'll pay for it when It's received,"

"Very well, Ma'am," Mr. Howard said, "Have a good day,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "You too, sir," then she quickly left, and continue her trip in to work.


	18. Lazy Saturdays & Menacing Magnets

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Lazy Saturdays & Menacing Magnets

Daryl was getting his breakfast out, and having a relaxed Saturday morning.

"Morning Daryl," Andy said.

"Morning, Dad," Daryl replied, sitting down at the breakfast table, "Morning, Mom,"

"Good morning, Daryl," Joyce said warmly.

"Would you like to rejoin the baseball team?" Andy asked, looking very hopeful.

Daryl looked uncomfortable for a moment, then turned to Andy, "Could I play a different position?"

Andy frowned, "Why would you want to do that?" Andy asked, surprised.

Daryl shrugged nervously, "I-I just wonder if it's fair that I'm the batter. I won't ever miss,"

"But winnings the whole point of playing baseball!" Andy exclaimed.

"What about fair play?" Daryl asked, looking to Joyce, "Isn't that what the 'Life is a Ball Game' song says?"

"Ah!" Andy said, understanding, "You mean the song, 'The Ball Game' song,"

Daryl paused for a moment, and nodded, "I guess so,"

Andy sat forward in his chair, leaning towards Daryl, "Well, that's a song more about life in general,"

Daryl nodded, taking in that bit of information, "And baseball is a part of life,"

"Now we both know there's nothing more important in life then baseball, don't we?" he winked at Joyce, but she didn't react.

"No, Dad, we don't," Daryl said simply, with a shake of his head.

Joyce raised her eyebrows in Daryl's direction, looking back and forth between Daryl and Andy.

"What?" Andy said, in surprise.

"It's important to you, Dad, and I know that," Daryl said, nodding his understanding, "I'm worrying that if I play ball, people are going to start wondering about me, and we can't allow that. Now can we?"

Andy nodded, realizing where Daryl was coming from.

Joyce shook her head slowly, partly in wonder at Daryl's understanding of Andy's views about baseball, and what Daryl's possible return to the team meant for Andy's hopes for the season, but also, the danger to Daryl if his play got people wondering too much about him. Wondering if there was anything too exceptionally different about him.

"What do you want to do then, Daryl?" Andy asked slowly.

"Shortstop?" Daryl enquired.

Andy nodded, "That's less regular, and different things can happen for that position,"

Daryl nodded, "That means I might have to do quite different things with each hit. I may not even be needed all the time,"

"But Daryl," Andy asked, "What happens when our side is batting? That's really what has you worried, isn't it?"

Daryl nodded, "I suppose I could try random number generation…,"

Joyce and Andy looked at Daryl confused, "What?"

"Well, that's a way I could make random mistakes," Daryl explained.

Andy nodded slowly, "Is that some computer thing?"

Daryl nodded, "I guess so,"

"But would you tell anyone?" Joyce asked.

Daryl shook his head, "No, no one should know when I'm going to miss. I won't even, until the ball is thrown," then he grinned, "You've gotta trust me on this one, please!"

Andy nodded, "Alright. But you will be batting, right?"

"Of course," Daryl said.

"That's great!" Andy said, slapping Daryl on the back.

Joyce pointed at Daryl's breakfast, "Eat up,"

Daryl nodded, and started in on his breakfast.

* * *

When Dr. Lamb arrived at work, the TASCOM building was nearly deserted.

Dr. Lamb sighed to herself, parking the car, "I haven't done this for a while," she said out-loud to no one. The last time had gone into work on a weekend had been during the end of Daryl's initial development.

Dr Lamb quickly entered the building and made her way to the data centre, logged in to the mainframe, and continued working on the upgrade to D.A.R.Y.L.'s communication protocol. Now she was working on the assembly language that would go into Daryl's implanted hardware. She had completed the mainframe side of the updated coding in a matter of days, as she had expected to. Now the real work would begin.

She hoped that Daryl wouldn't inadvertently rewrite his telemetry coding on his own, the way he had while he had been living with the Richardson' the first time. When they had finally brought him in after that, the modifications he had made to his algorithm's had been a shock, not counting the discovered encryption scheme that Dr. Mulligan had established.

Dr. Lamb remembered that Dr. Stewart had seemed oddly pleased by the behavioural developments that had arisen from Daryl's emotion-coding abilities, even before they were actually discovered. They had improved his ability to learn about human interaction, and how he should behave in response to others.

Now, Dr. Lamb thought, he really did seem life-like, it was almost startling for her to think about. However, in order for her to recode his communication protocol, as directed, there had to be some stability in the code he was running, otherwise, she might break something. Daryl's outward behaviour couldn't change, because the changes were meant to conceal the ongoing top-secret research at TASCOM.

* * *

James Frost was sitting glumly in the school office the following Monday, waiting for the school-district's itinerant psychologist and social-worker, Mrs. Abigail Finch, to show up. At least, he thought to himself, I can be late for class, without getting into trouble.

A young lady, smiling and radiating warmth came into the office, turning to the slumped and sullen-looking boy seated on the bench, "Hello, I take you're James Frost?"

James Frost looked up at Mrs. Finch, and silently nodded, "Who're you?"

Mrs. Finch introduced herself, then held out her hand, "Why don't you come with me, and we'll have a talk, alright?"

James Frost stood up glumly, pulling his hand back, "Sure, I guess, what do we need to talk about?"

"Well," Mrs. Finch said, glancing around, "I'll explain once we find somewhere quieter to talk,"

James Frost's frown deepened slightly, then relaxed again and shrugged, "Oh, if that's what you want,"

Mrs. Finch nodded, leading James out of the office, "Yes, that's how I do things,"

James Frost let himself be lead to a room at the far end of the hallway that the school office had been on.

Mrs. Finch closed the door, and pulled out a chair on the closer side of an office desk that took up much of the room, "Sit down, please, James,"

James Frost sat down on the chair, looking around at the largely bare room, the only other large piece of furniture was a filing cabinet, "What's this place?"

Mrs. Finch opened the locked filing cabinet, and retrieved a folder, "This is where I work, during my regular visits to this school," Mrs. Finch explained, sitting down in the chair on far side of the desk, and opening the folder in front of her.

"Why am I here?" James asked, "What do you need to see me for?"

"Well, young man," Mrs. Finch started, "It seems you are having trouble staying out of trouble,"

James Frost frowned again, "You mean like dealing with that little jerk Turtle, and his disappearing and reappearing friend Daryl?"

"I might be," Mrs. Finch replied, interested in his description of Daryl, "Can you tell me about them?"

James Frost exhaled loudly, sitting back in the chair, "Turtle's always been little pain. He's got such a big mouth,"

Mrs. Finch nodded, taking that in, "Can you give me an example?"

"I can give you lots!" James said, suddenly looking proud, "But I could always 'deal' with him. Or at least I could, before that other kid showed up,"

"Daryl, you said his name was?" Mrs. Finch prompted.

James nodded, "Yeah, and the worst thing with _him_ is that he does know things, all kinds of weird stuff. It's his being a know-it-all, that gets to me about him,"

"James, what are your parent's like?" Mrs. Finch asked gently, glancing up from his file.

James shrugged nervously, "Is that any of your business?" he said defiantly.

"James," Mrs. Finch said, frowning, "I'm trying to understand why you need to be so violent with other children," she said, a smile returning to her face, "Now, please, tell me about your family,"

James shrugged nervously again, "What can I say? It's just me and my dad,"

Mrs. Finch nodded, "Where's your mother? Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

James shook his head, "No. Mom died in a car accident when I was really small,"

Mrs. Finch looked sympathetic, "I'm very sorry to hear that,"

James nodded slightly, almost snapping softly, "It's nothing,"

Mrs. Finch raised an eyebrow in surprise,"Oh? How old were you when it happened?"

James shrugged, getting nervous at the questioning, and trying to hide his emotions,"Three," then he burst out angrily, almost getting to his feet, "Why do you want to know all this stuff!? It was _years_ ago!?"

Mrs. Finch sighed, watching James carefully, "Are you _sure_ it was really that long ago for you?"

"Do you see me _crying_ about it now?" James snapped angrily.

Mrs. Finch shook her head, "No, of course not! I'm sure you have gotten over most of it but that doesn't mean that there is no sorrow left behind. If you want to talk bout these things, nobody else needs to know about it,"

"My dad doesn't do anything with me," James sad, seemingly out of the blue, "He spends all his time messing about in the garage,"

"James," Mrs. Finch said, "Would you like to talk about it?"

James sighed, and sat back, "What's to say? He spends all his time on these stupid science-project-things,"

"Like what?" Mrs. Finch asked, "Is he a scientist?"

James shrugged again, "No, not really. I dunno, sometimes he makes strange electronic things there,"

"Like what?" Mrs. Finch prompted, "Can you tell me?"

James shook his head, "Not really, I think he makes special radios and stuff,"

"For who?" Mrs. Finch prompted, "Who does he make them for?"

"I don't know," James said, "I think he just makes them for fun. He used to work in creating stuff for the military, but then he was let go,"

"He was fired?" Mrs. Finch asked.

"I don't know," James said, "One day he had a job, the next he didn't,"

"Do you know how that made him feel?" Mrs Finch asked.

James shrugged, "I don't know, really, it might be why he now expects so much of me now. He keeps after me to do as well as I can. It can be really hard sometimes,"

Mrs. Finch nodded, understanding, then she frowned, "But can you explain why you are taking these feeling out on other kids?"

"They've always been bugging me!" James exclaimed in frustration, almost getting to his feet in protest.

Mrs. Finch feigned momentary surprise, "Have you ever talked to any adults about it?"

James leaned back in the chair he was sitting on, and groaned, "All they're gonna do is tell me to ignore people!"

"Well," Mrs. Finch said, still sympathetic, "that's true, but that's also how we get along in the world, now isn't it?"

James nodded glumly, "I guess, but what should I do then?"

'You have to _try_, James," Mrs. Finch encouraged, "You can't just let other people get to you. Does it really matter what they think of you? You know you're a good person, don't you?"

James sat there for a moment, then nodded, and then shook his head, "No, I guess it doesn't matter,"

Mrs. Finch smiled warmly, "That's good," she stood up, and opened the door to the room, "Have a good day. I'll be here if you need to talk more,"

James stood up, and followed Mrs. Finch to the door, "Thank you, I guess," James said, leaving.

"You're welcome, it was no problem at all. Good bye, James," Mrs. Finch said, to his retreating back.

James Frost seemingly ignored Mrs. Finch's reply, as he walked to class.

* * *

When James entered the classroom, Mr. Nesbitt was talking to Daryl about Daryl's request for Sherie-Lee joining the field trip, even though she wasn't even a student at the school.

Turtle was watching them talk, and trying to hide his nervousness about their discussion. Turtle was hoping that Daryl could get through the cover story they had created. Its being accepted relied on Daryl's outward-"Teacher's Pet" behaviour.

Mr. Nesbitt wasn't very pleased with Daryl's suggestion that he might need someone _else's_ assistance on the trip. Never _mind_, a high-school senior who was his best friend's sister. He remembered Sherie-Lee as a young teenager, she had been like Andrea.

"Sir, I have some medical issues that I'd rather not discuss with you," Daryl said, pausing for a moment, "They may or may not be a problem, so I'm going, but we'll need someone along just in case,"

Mrs. Nesbitt watched Daryl carefully, saying, "Daryl, you're a great young man, but given what you've just told me, I'm wondering if you should go… Now, since apparently your parent's have cleared it, I can't stop you, but I'm afraid the young lady, as helpful as she might be, can't come with us. Do you understand?"

Daryl nodded sombrely, "Yes, Mr. Nesbitt, I understand,"

Mr. Nesbitt nodded back, "That's good, now go sit at your place,"

"Yes, Mr. Nesbitt," Daryl said, turning, and sitting down beside Turtle.

Turtle grumbled to Daryl, "What are we going to do now?"

"I'm sure we'll come up with something," Daryl murmured back, "Talk at lunch,"

Turtle nodded, "OK,"

* * *

Dr. Lamb was in a conference call with General Graycliffe and the two congressmen who headed the Joint Congressional Armed Services Committees,

"Gentlemen," Dr. Lamb asked, "Could we put it next Monday, in the morning? The boy may need to get proper clothes for such a meeting. You hinted this could be an all-day affair, in one of the committee rooms. Daryl may need a suit,"

"As you see fit, doctor," Senator Blackman said.

"Senator," General Graycliffe interjected, trying to explain, "the boy should dress appropriately for the meeting, shouldn't he?"

"Yes, sir," Dr, Lamb replied, "I'll let Daryl's adoptive parents know about the meeting,"

"Thank you, doctor," Senator Blackman said.

Dr. Lamb sighed, wondering when the school trip was going to be…

* * *

Turtle and Daryl were sitting on either side of a table in the school's cafeteria, hunched over their lunches.

"So," Turtle started, "What do we do if my sister can't come?"

"Can your sister drive?" Daryl asked.

Turtle shrugged, "Sure, she's seventeen, why?"

"Can she meet us there on her own?" Daryl asked.

Turtle sat back for a moment, and nodded, "Oh, I get it!"

Daryl waited for Turtle to continue.

"You want her to meet us. But Mr. Nesbitt won't be very happy about her showing up,"

Daryl raised an eyebrow, "But he'd be even less happy about me 'dying' on the trip, wouldn't he? He doesn't hate me, that much," Daryl said.

Turtle almost laughed, "No, you're the smart-aleck _teacher's pet_, unlike the rest of us,"

Daryl smiled back.

* * *

Dr. Lamb was back in her office, dialling the phone number for Joyce and Andy Richardson.

Joyce answered the phone.

"Good morning, Mrs. Richardson," Dr. Lamb said, keeping her voice normal, as she dropped the bombshell on Joyce, "I was wondering if you and your family would like a week-long all-expenses-paid trip to Washington D.C., starting this weekend?"

"Alright, doctor. Can you tell me what this is about?" Joyce asked, somewhat perturbed.

"A congressional committee wants to meet you, your husband, and especially Daryl," Dr. Lamb explained.

"Oh, is something wrong, or can you not tell me on the phone?" Joyce asked.

"I really can't tell you on the phone. All I can say is that I will meet you at the airport, personally," Dr. Lamb said, "You should be able to recognize me, so that will be alright,"

"Of course, Dr. Lamb. Daryl's science class trip is this Wednesday…," Joyce said.

"Oh, OK. I'll be ready on that day if anything happens with Daryl," Dr. Lamb said.

"I hope you won't be needed," Joyce said.

"I hope I won't be either. It might seem a bit too convenient for some-if you get my meaning," Dr. Lamb said.

Joyce paused, then sighe with disappointment and sadness, "Uh, I think I do,"

"Well, I may be seeing you before Friday than," Dr. Lamb said.

"You may," Joyce replied.

"Good-bye, and good luck, then," Dr. Lamb said.

"Good bye," Joyce said.

Dr. Lamb and Joyce hung up their ends of the phone.

* * *

Turtle and Daryl were in Turtle's room that afternoon working on homework together.

Daryl was wondering if working with his friend on homework was such a great idea, "Turtle I can't help you with your fraction division problems. It wouldn't be fair, and I think we _both_ know it,"

Turtle exhaled loudly, "I know, but-,"

"No, Turtle, I can't. I'm sorry," Daryl said.

"Turtle," Sherie-Lee said, sticking her head into his room, "Daryl has a point. Since he's got a computer in his head, it's very easy for him to do, but you need to be able to do it on your own,"

Turtle grumbled, "Will you get out of my room, Hookie!"

"Not if you're going to call me that, I won't!" Sherie-Lee snapped.

"Sorry, Sherie-Lee, but this is my room, and me and Daryl were talking between us," Turtle said.

Daryl nodded.

"Sherie-Lee, Mr. Nesbitt said you can't join the school trip, but we were wondering if you could join us anyway," Daryl asked.

"I didn't think you were into causing trouble, Daryl, but what are you thinking?" Sherie-Lee enquired.

"Can you drive yourself to the Raleigh Science Museum? Be there in case Turtle comes for you?"

"You could hang around the electronics and technology displays," Turtle suggested.

"Mom and Dad need the car to get to work," Sherie-Lee said, but thinking she liked the idea. She could keep Daryl's special gear out of sight until it was needed, if it was needed.

"You could offer to drive them, couldn't you?" Daryl asked.

Sherie-Lee nodded, "I could, though they'd better not be back-seat drivers,"

Daryl looked at Sherie-Lee strangely, "What's a back-seat driver?"

Turtle glanced at Daryl.

Sherie-Lee launched into an explanation, including why it was such a pain to have one with you when you were driving.

* * *

Tuesday went uneventfully.

The big Wednesday, that all were wondering about, came the next day.

Daryl and Turtle were in Joyce's car, and they pulled up behind a large yellow school-bus, "Well, there's your ride, boys,"

Turtle nodded, followed by Daryl, "Thank you, Mrs. Richardson," Turtle said.

"No problem Turtle," Joyce said, whispering to Daryl, "Try to stay out of trouble, alright?"

Daryl nodded, understanding, whispering back, "Sherie-Lee should be there, in case I get into trouble,"

Joyce nodded, "I know,"

Turtle had headed for the front of the bus, called back, "C'mon, Daryl! The bus!"

Daryl broke away from Joyce, and ran for Turtle, "I'm coming!"

Turtle quickly got on the bus, which was a zoo. Children from three classes called back-and-forth to each other.

Daryl climbed the bus steps, behind Turtle, and followed his friend down the somewhat crowded aisle.

Turtle sat down on an empty seat, and slid over to the window, he was joined almost immediately by Daryl.

"How will we know if your sister got the to the museum?" Daryl asked Turtle, his voice muffled to others by the hubbub around them.

"She'll be driving mom and dad's car, remember? You should be able to recognize it," Turtle said.

Daryl nodded, "Sure,"

Turtle relaxed, "You read up about electromagnetism, didn't you?"

Daryl started reciting the contents of the relevant science book chapter, nearly verbatim.

Turtle put his hand up to stop Daryl's impromptu recitation, "I take it you have. By the way, weren't you supposed to actually try _learning_ stuff, not just _memorizing _it?"

Daryl nodded, "I just read back the book, didn't I?"

"Yep, sound like it," Turtle said, smiling, glad that Daryl had picked up on things so quickly, "You think I haven't studied what the book says? But I don't remember it well enough to spew it back out,"

"But I do know the information," Daryl said, somewhat earnestly.

"I'm sure, but we normally have to put it in our own words, to _prove_ we understand it," Turtle said.

Daryl nodded, "But what are my words?"

Turtle fought the urge to look at Daryl, in horror, "Daryl, you _have_ to be able to describe things in your own words!" Turtle paused, "How would you describe the electromagnetic force, without reading from the book? Tell me, Turtle Fox, about electromagnetism"

Daryl paused for a minute, then started explaining about electromagnetism, using synonyms for words from the text.

The bus had started moving while Daryl spoke, the field trip was on.

Turtle nodded slowly, glancing back and forth between Daryl and the passing outside world, "I think I understood most of that…,"

Daryl nodded back, "Good, I wonder what Mr. Nesbitt would think?"

Turtle shrugged, holding on to the top of the seat-back in front of them, "Who knows?"

Daryl shrugged non-committally, "I certainly don't,"

"Nobody really does, when it comes to teachers and other grown-ups," Turtle confided, leaning in, almost whispering to Daryl, "That's what's so odd about you, sometimes,,"

"Oh," Daryl said, mimicking Turtle's tone of voice.

"But I understand why you're like that," Turtle said.

"We can't talk about that here," Daryl reminded.

Turtle nodded, but getting tired of the need for secrecy.

"If anything happens to me, it won't be a secret any more," Daryl reminded.

Turtle nodded, suddenly glum, "It sure wouldn't,"

Daryl smiled weakly.

"I sure hope that doesn't happen, what would Dr. Lamb do?" Turtle enquired.

Daryl shrugged, with a frown, "I don't know,"

Turtle glanced at Daryl, frowning back, "I can guess,"

Daryl nodded, with equanimity.

Turtle was looking out the back window of the bus, "Oh, there's Sherie-Lee!"

Daryl looked in the same direction as Turtle, "Oh, it certainly looks like your car…,"

Turtle nodded, "Too much coincidence otherwise,"

Daryl nodded, "She knows where we're going, doesn't she?"

Turtle shrugs, "I thought she did…,"

The bus pulled into the science museum's parking lot, and stopped at the group entrance.

Turtle looked out the window, suddenly surprised, "We're not going in the main entrance!"

Daryl followed Turtle's gaze, the sign over the door they were parking in front of read "GROUP ENTRANCE". "Sherie-Lee knows, doesn't she?" Daryl enquired.

"Alright, kids! We're here!" Mr. Penner, one of the other three teachers leading the group called out.

The children around Daryl and Turtle started getting up, some slinging bags over their backs, some holding their bags by handles.

Turtle and Daryl joined the throng of children streaming from the bus.

Daryl looked around, whispers, "Did you see your sister park?"

Turtle frowned, "No, and don't ask,"

Daryl nodded as he followed behind Turtle, with the other children, into the entrance.

The children walked down the hall to a room labelled "SCHOOL LAB-ELECTROMAGNETISM". The seating was fabric-covered box-benches, which were arranged on matching fabric-covered risers, in almost a curve, like a lecture hall. There was a metal-and-wood work-bench with various pieces of equipment on it.

Turtle and Daryl sat on the front row, just left of centre.

A young man in a lab coat, black pants and white running shoes came in the hall from a door on the opposite wall, behind the work-bench. He smiled warmly up at the children who murmuring in vague-impatience.

"Hi, kids! I'm Professor Magnetism!", the young man said, with almost genuine enthusiasm.

"Hi, Professor Magnetism!" the children chorused, with little enthusiasm, a couple ended laughing, with mild derision.

Daryl glanced at Turtle, having not seen him behave that way before, and not knowing he should have joined in himself, he kept silent.

Turtle glanced at Daryl, and put a hand on his arm, whispering, "It's done," then put his finger to his lips.

Daryl nodded silently, and turned back to "Professor Magnetism".

Then "Professor Magnetism" began his spiel. He started by talking about natural magnets, then moved on to discuss electromagnetism.

Turtle fought the urge to watch Daryl's reaction, but he didn't have to wait long

Daryl raised his hand, part way through the preliminary talk.

"Yes," Professor Magnetism enquired, "you're name please?"

"Daryl Richardson," Daryl said, "I want to know how powerful the most powerful electromagnet you have there is,"

"Well!" Professor Magnetism said, "Why don't we find out!?"

"Yeah!-" the children cheered.

"You mean you don't know!?" Daryl blurted, almost getting to his feet.

"Daryl,' Turtle said, trying to calm him down, "It's alright,"

"Hey!" Professor Magnetism said cheerfully, "It's not a big deal! It's about 30 kilowatts, OK?"

Daryl nodded slowly, relaxing, "Thank you,"

"It's no problem at all," Professor Magnetism said, "Would you like to turn it on for me?"

Daryl shook his head, "No thank you,"

"It won't bite… How about your friend there?" Professor Magnetism enquired, turning his glance toward Turtle hopefully.

Turtle shrugged, shaking his head.

James Frost, who was sitting part way up the riser, waved his hand excitedly, "Can I do it!?"

Professor Magnetism nodded, "Sure! And your name is?"

"James Frost, sir!" James Frost said, almost gleeful, bounding down the steps.

Professor Magnetism smiled, "Well, James, come over here…," the he turned tot he rest of the children, "Can we have a count down, please?"

Turtle watched Daryl again.

The room full of children started cheering, except for Daryl and Turtle, who was trying not to fidget, "TEN!…, NINE!…, EIGHT!…, SEVEN!…, SIX!…, FIVE!…, FOUR!…, THREE!…, TWO!…, ONE!…ZERO!-"

There was a loud snap, and an electrical buzz in the room.

Daryl collapsed, tumbling forward off the bench.


	19. Daryl's Recovery Begins

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Daryl's Recovery Begins

There was a squeal of terror from the girls in the audience.

Professor Magnetism looked on in horror.

James Frost's jaw dropped in surprise.

Mr. Nesbitt, who was sitting on the back row of the riser, quickly stood up and came rushing down the steps, "Daryl!?"

The electrical buzz vanished, as Professor Magnetism said, slowly recovering from his shock, "I've turned everything off!"

Mr. Nesbitt nodded.

The child, sitting on the other side of Daryl from Turtle scrunched up his nose, seeing the state of Daryl's clothes, "Ew, gross!"

Turtle, who got up from beside Daryl immediately, and was now running for the door, yelled back to no one in particular, "Can I get into the museum from here!?"

"Turtle," Mr. Nesbitt asked, "Where do you think you're going?"

Turtle blushed, stopping at the door, his panic increasing, "I'm getting my sister! She's in the main part of the museum! She can help with Daryl! _How do I get there!?_"

"Get an ambulance Turtle. I don't see how your sister can help with this," Mr. Nesbitt said, with gentle firmness. Mr. Nesbitt fought to control his emotions: He certainly didn't want one of the children, from his own class, dying on a field trip he was one of the leaders of!

"The first door on the other side of the hall," Professor Magnetism said, the shock having practically worn off, and picking up a phone handset from under the workbench, he continued, "And I'll call the ambulance, your teacher _is_ right though,"

Turtle nodded to Professor Magnetism, ignoring the "Professor's" last statement, "Thank you!" then he was gone through the door.

"Damn that boy!", Mr. Nesbitt exclaimed, almost under his breath. He shook his head, as he picked up Daryl by the shoulders.

* * *

Turtle ran down the hall, and opened a door that was, on the other side labelled, "Staff Only". Turtle looked around, and started calling, "Sherie-Lee! Sherie-Lee Fox!"

Sherie-Lee, who was waiting for something to happen, had seen where the class had gone in, and stayed close to that side of the public area of the museum. She heard Turtle calling her name, she could tell he was getting more and more agitated, each time he called out. She knew she had to find him, and it didn't take her long.

Turtle saw her, and ran straight for her, then stopped and looked down at her feet,blurting out in exasperation, "Where's the stuff, Hookie!"

Sherie-Lee frowned down at Turtle, "Turtle! Not now! Daryl's in trouble, isn't he?"

Turtle nodded, now almost in tears, "Yes," he croaked.

"Now, I left the stuff in Mom and Dad's car, which is in the parking lot here," she said, almost shoving the back of her right hand into his face, "I got my hand stamped, so I can come and go at any time. Now, I guess I need to get things don't I?"

Turtle nodded, almost whimpering, "I'm sorry, Sherie-Lee,"

Sherie-Lee nodded, relenting, and warmly placing a hand on Turtle's shoulder, "OK, I'll be right back, you stay _right here!_"

Turtle nodded compliantly, trying to regain his composure.

Sherie-Lee left Turtle standing in the middle of the exhibits, almost at a run.

Turtle shifted around, his hands in his pocket's and his head down. He suddenly very sorry for how he had talked to his sister.

* * *

Sherie-Lee quickly left the building and headed for the parking-lot. It didn't take long to find the Fox's car. Sherie-Lee quickly unlocked the trunk, and got the metal suitcase out of it. Sherie-Lee quickly closed and locked the trunk, then turned back toward the museum, Sherie-Lee ran back into the museum, through the main entrance.

Soon the sounds of an ambulance could be heard.

"Hello ma'am," The ticket-taker said, seeing her coming quickly, carrying her odd burden.

Sherie-Lee nodded, showing the ticket-taker her hand, "I've been stamped,"

The ticket-taker nodded, "I see, you can enter,"

"Thank you," Sherie-Lee said, quickly passing the ticket-collection box, and finding her way back to Turtle.

* * *

Turtle was looking at the exhibits, trying not to draw attention to himself.

Sherie-Lee soon showed up, she patted Turtle on the shoulder, having come up behind him.

Turtle jumped, "Ah! Don't do that!-"

"I'm here, Turtle," Sherie-Lee said, "Sorry,"

Turtle nodded, turning back toward the door he had come out of, from the private part of the building, "Let's go!"

Sherie-Lee nodded, "I'm right behind you,"

Turtle nodded, as he ran for the door.

"Turtle, I think I heard the ambulance coming," Sherie-Lee said.

Turtle opened the door, "OK, I don't know if we'll need them,"

"Well," Sherie-Lee said, scurrying through the door, "we might,"

Turtle nodded, following his sister through the door, and running past her down the hall, "This way!"

Sherie-Lee looked around, "What are we looking for?"

Turtle hurriedly beckoned, "Not far,"

Sherie-Lee nodded.

Turtle stopped at the door the door labelled, "SCHOOL LAB-ELECTROMAGNETISM" on the door, "Here it is!"

Sherie-Lee grabbed the handle and turned it, throwing the door open, "Here we are!"

Mr. Penner was trying to give Daryl CPR, and not having much luck.

Mr. Nesbitt turned at the sound, "I thought I _told_ you she _couldn't come!_"

"She didn't," Turtle paused, almost enjoying the moment, "She brought herself,"

"Hello, Mr. Nesbitt," Sherie-Lee said, with a tone of recognition.

Mr. Nesbitt glared at Turtle's impudence, then looked to Sherie-Lee, "Hello, Miss Fox. You do know I didn't allow you to join the field-trip. I didn't think you'd be needed,-"

Sherie-Lee was ignoring Mr. Nesbitt, while looking around for an electrical outlet, "There it is,"

Turtle nodded to his sister, "OK, Sherie-Lee, let's do this,"

"Turtle, others aren't allowed to see this stuff!" Sherie-Lee exclaimed softly, kneeling by the electrical outlet, and opening the case.

"Well, what can we do!? C'mon!" Turtle exclaimed in frustration with Sherie-Lee.

Sherie-Lee nodded, "Not much, and I'm doing it!", she said, hurriedly pulling things from the suitcase.

"What is she doing, Turtle?" Mr. Nesbitt said, almost glaring still.

Turtle groaned, "I can't tell!-I'm not allowed to! You guys shouldn't even be seeing it!"

Mr. Nesbitt fixed Turtle with a deeply sombre stare, putting a hand on his shoulder, attempting to reassure him, "Tell me, Turtle,"

Turtle frowned, "I said I can't. I don't mean to be rude, but it's not any of your business, Mr. Nesbitt. That's just how it has to be about this,"

Sherie-Le had the terminal facing the lab bench, away from the children, and was practically on her stomach.

Mr. Nesbitt glared at Turtle.

Soon the ambulance crew was coming through the door, bringing a wheeled stretcher between them.

Sherie-Lee entered a command into the portable computer she had pulled from the case:

CONNECT TO ORGANIC SECTOR

The computer replied:

ORGANIC SECTOR UNAVAILABLE  
LIFEFORM LIFE SIGNS (ASSUMED) UNAVAILABLE

Sherie-Lee almost swore, trying to check the alignment of the parabolic dish, with Daryl's head. All of this without drawing attention to herself.

The ambulance crew were examining Daryl's body.

Sherie-Lee tried another command:

LOAD ORGANIC SECTOR

The computer soon replied:

TRANSPONDER DETECTED  
ORGANIC SECTOR LOADED

Sherie-Lee almost cheered, softly exclaiming, "Yes!"

"What's going on there? We're having no luck," Once of the ambulance crew asked sourly.

"You should in a second," Sherie-Lee replied, enigmatically.

That member of the ambulance crew made uncertain noises.

Sherie-Lee ignored the dismissive reaction, and entered another command into the computer:

REINITIALIZE LIFEFORM LIFE FUNCTIONS

The computer soon replied:

CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTION INITIALIZED

"Whoa!", the other ambulance crew member exclaimed, in surprise, as Daryl's body jolted.

The computer replied again:

PULMONARY FUNCTION INITIALIZED

"What's going on here!?" Both ambulance crew members exclaimed.

"He's alive again," Sherie-Lee said, beaming, and almost in tears.

Turtle slumped by his sister, equally emotional, smiling sadly, "Time to call Dr. Lamb?"

Sherie-Lee glanced up at Turtle, nodding with tears in her eye's, "Yeah, he should have her card somewhere on him,"

Turtle glanced at the state of Daryl clothes and groaned.

"Turtle," Sherie-Lee said darkly, as she started packing things away, "You knew it could be like this,"

Turtle nodded, and started to search Daryl's pockets, "Not here!"

Sherie-Lee raised an eyebrow in surprise, just before she folded the dish, "Check his bag!" then she got things away into the suitcase.

Turtle ran to Daryl's bag, and quickly opened it, rifling through it for a moment, "Got it!", Turtle pulled the card out.

Sherie-Lee nodded, "Where's the nearest phone?"

Professor Magnetism had been watching from a distance with surprise, and he held up the phone behind the work bench, "Will this do?"

Sherie-Lee nodded, "Can I call long-distance?"

Professor Magnetism shrugged, but surprised at the question, "Long distance!? I don't know,"

Sherie-Lee sighed, not wanting to explain as she took the card from Turtle's outstretched hand, "Well, we'll have to try, maybe I'll make a collect call,"

Professor Magnetism nodded, somewhat uncertainly, "Alright then…,"

"Dial nine to get out?" Sherie-Lee enquired.

Professor Magnetism nodded.

Sherie-Lee nodded, and started dialling the number from the card…

"Hello?" Dr. Lamb could be heard, answering the phone tentatively.

"Hello, Dr. Lamb, this is Sherie-Lee Fox," Sherie-Lee replied, smiling with relief.

"Oh, hello Miss Fox," Dr. Lamb said brightly, trying to be cheerful but knowing there could be few cheerful reasons for the call, "How may I help you…,"

"Actually, it's Daryl that needs your help," Sherie-Lee said.

Dr. Lamb sighed, knowing exactly what Sherie-Lee was saying, "Where will he be in a couple of hours?"

Sherie-Lee looked at the ambulance crew, "Where are you taking him?"

One of the ambulance crew said, "Probably Central Children's Hospital,"

Sherie-Lee enquired, "Is that here in Raleigh?"

The member of the ambulance crew nodded.

Sherie-Lee nodded back, "Dr. Lamb, they're taking him to Central Children's Hospital, here in Raleigh,"

"I understand, Miss Fox. I will be there in a few hours," Dr. Lamb said.

"Thank you, and good-bye," Sherie-Lee said.

"You're quite welcome. Good -bye, and good luck," Dr. Lamb said.

"Thank you," Sherie-Lee said.

"No problem," Dr. Lamb said, then there was a click as she hung up.

Sherie-Lee hung up the dead phone.

"What happens now?" Turtle asked, looking from the grown-ups to his sister.

"Well," the ambulance crewman said, "whatever that girl did, his eye's are still fixed and dilated, so he's going to the hospital,"

Turtle looked at him quizzically, "What does that mean?"

"Well, when a bright light is shone in your eye's, your pupils should contract, that's if you're brain is working, this young man's still isn't, How his heart and lungs are going, I have no idea."

Turtle nodded, and turned to Sherie-Lee.

Sherie-Lee shrugged, looking at Turtle, "I did what I could,"

Turtle nodded, "I know,"

"What, did you do!?" the adults almost chorused.

Sherie-Lee looked nervous, "I'm not really allowed to tell people,"

"Young lady, this could get very serious if you don't explain what went on a few moments ago," Mr. Nesbitt said, somewhat threateningly.

"Talk to my parent's," Sherie-Lee said, staring straight at Mr. Nesbitt, not backing down.

"Mr. Nesbitt, if what just happened got out, the Richardsons could lose Daryl," Turtle said.

Mr. Nesbitt's eyes bulged, "Lose him!? What on Earth are you talking about!"

"We can't tell you," Sherie-Lee and Turtle said.

Mr. Nesbitt was evidently displeased by this repeated refrain, "I'll find out sooner or later,"

"Maybe-," Sherie-Lee said, almost wistful.

"Doubt it," Turtle said darkly.

"Turtle," Sherie-Lee said, mildly scolding her brother, "We might get permission, after all that's happened," she turned back to Mr. Nesbitt, "But we can't promise anything now, Mr. Nesbitt. Please understand that,"

Mr. Nesbitt turned to Sherie-Lee, nodding, "Very well…,"

Turtle almost grinned, "Good Grief! He can actually be cool when things don't go his way!"

The ambulance crew had Daryl's unconscious body on the stretcher, and were starting toward the door, wheeling him out of the room.

"Gord, we'll get the other kids back on the bus. I think the field-trip is over," Mr. Penner said.

Mr. Nesbitt nodded to Mr. Penner, "That's what I figured, Martin," then he turned back to Sherie-Lee, "Are you coming, Miss Fox?" Mr. Nesbitt asked, somewhat solicitously, as he followed the stretcher.

"We'll contact the school and let them know, so they can tell the parent's," Mr. Penner said.

Mr. Nesbitt acknowledged Mr. Penner's comment.

Sherie-Lee nodded to Mr. Nesbitt, following them out, "Certainly, Mr. Nesbitt. I don't know if Dr. Lamb would recognize you, but of course, she knows me,"

Mr. Nesbitt nodded, "Let's go then…, young lady,"

* * *

Dr. Lamb was in the data-centre assembling equipment.

The phone rang.

Dr. Lamb hurried to answer it, "Dr. Lamb here,"

"Doctor, it's General Graycliffe. You're in luck. The jet will be waiting for you in less than half-an-hour. Good luck,"

Dr. Lamb beamed, "Thank you sir. I'll see you in Washington, probably,"

"You won't be back here before then?" General Graycliffe enquired idly.

"I don't know, sir. I may have a lot of questions to answer. We did discuss this…,"

"Yes, we did, doctor," General Graycliffe said.

"And?" Dr. Lamb enquired.

"I imagine the boy collapsed in front of others?" General Graycliffe asked.

"I imagine so, he was on a science trip about magnetism," Dr. Lamb reminded.

"And I suppose that this young lady did everything she could right there?" General Graycliffe suggested.

Dr. Lamb paused, "I don't know about that, but it would not surprise me if she had…, in hindsight,"

"Great," General Graycliffe said darkly, a complete lack of enthusiasm, "I just hope they didn't go blabbing about things,"

"I just hope she wasn't questioned to stiffly about things. I can find out when I get there... But I need to get there first," Dr. Lamb said.

"Good bye, then. I'll see you when you get back, or in Washington," General Graycliffe said.

"Sir," Dr. Lamb said, "On second thoughts, I probably will have to come back here before getting to Washington,"

"Alright , I may see you then?" General Graycliffe asked.

"You may, sir," Dr. Lamb said, "Good bye for now,"

"Good bye, doctor," General Graycliffe said, then hung up his end of the connection.

Dr. Lamb hung up her end, and finished collecting parts from the data centre.

* * *

Sherie-Lee and Turtle Fox, along with a sullen and silent Mr. Nesbitt were sitting with Daryl, all of them surrounded by a hospital curtain.

Daryl was laying on a hospital gurney, in a hospital gown, and a thick gauze cloth over his eye's.

Sherie-Lee and Turtle were on either side of the gurney Daryl had been placed on when he had arrived at the hospital.

"I wonder if he can hear us?" Turtle wondered aloud.

Sherie-Lee shrugged, "Turtle, all I did was get his heart and lungs going again. Nothing more…,"

Turtle nodded, "I guess that's all Dr. Lamb told you about?"

"Yes, I'm sorry Turtle," Sherie-Le said, wishing she could make this whole sorry situation go away.

"Sherie-Lee," Turtle said, trying to sound reassuring, "You did what you could. He is alive, right?"

Sherie-Lee nodded, smiling sadly, "Yeah, he is,"

Turtle and Sherie-Lee could hear a woman crying, and rushing feet. They'd seen this recently, before. Turtle looked to Sherie-Lee, his browses raised, "Ut-oh,"

"Here come the Richardsons," Sherie-Lee said softly, geting up and pulling back the curtain.

Turtle nodded, and pulled back the other part of the curtain so he could see, "Hello, Mr and Ms. Richardson, we're all here,"

Joyce, who had been weeping, nodded miserably.

"How is he, Turtle?" Andy asked, embracing his wife with one arm.

Turtle shook his head, "Sherie-Lee got his heart and lungs going, but that's it,"

"Dr. Lamb is coming?" Joyce asked sadly.

Turtle nodded, "We called her from the science museum. People know there's something weird about Daryl, and it has to do with him and computers,"

Joyce's jaw fell, almost forgetting her distress and misery, "Oh, Turtle! What happened!? You _know_ Dr. Lamb won't be happy to hear that!"

Turtle nodded, unable to look at Joyce in the face, glancing at Sherie-Lee, he asked, "What were we going to do?"

Joyce nodded, saying cryptically, "Because of the way Daryl is, we thought he was able to make these decisions himself…,"

Mr. Nesbitt, seeing Daryl's parents arrive, stood up, "Hello, Mr. And Mrs. Richardson. I take you won't explain what's going on either?"

Andy and Joyce shook there heads, as Andy said, "You are Daryl's teacher?"

Mr. Nesbitt held out his hand, "Yes I am,"

"You can go now. These two are our neighbours. We'll make sure they get home," Andy said.

Mr. Nesbitt frowned, but left.

Sherie-Lee, nodded, "He should never have gone on the trip, should he?"

Joyce and Andy shook their heads.

Sherie-Lee nodded, "Well, we all make mistakes, don't we?"

Joyce nodded, "Sometimes even those who don't, do,"

Sherie-Lee nodded, "Why did he want to go?"

"To be with his classmates," Joyce said, glancing at Turtle.

Sherie-Lee nodded, then shook her head, "He had no idea how dangerous that could be?" she looked to Turtle, "Don't they tell you how to use floppies?"

"We learned all of that shortly before Daryl ever came," Turtle nodded, "But Daryl doesn't have a floppy disk in him, Where would you put it?"

"What?" Andy said, "Since we _don't_ have a computer, you're losing us,"

''On all floppy packaging, they list all the 'do's-and don'ts' of floppies," Sherie-Lee said, "One is, keep the disk away from magnets,"

Andy nodded, now understanding.

Joyce shook her head, "Nobody ever told him what dangers he could face…,"

Sherie-Lee and Turtle nodded, "It sounds like it," Sherie-Lee said.

* * *

Dr. Lamb was at the airbase, loading things from her car onto the jet that was waiting for her, she came on-board the plane herself, saying breathlessly, "Let's go, gentlemen. Times a-wasting!"

The captain nodded, "We're already to go, doctor," he said, as he closed the cabin door.

Dr. Lamb nodded her thanks, as she sat down in one of the seats in the passenger cabin.

The captain returned to the cockpit, and sat down, "Let's go,"

The engines were spun-up and the plane started to move toward the taxiing area. Once they were cleared for take off, the plane turned on to the runway. The engine noise becam a roar, as the plane sped down the runway, and soon lifted off.

Dr. Lamb sat back, wondering what state she would find Daryl in when she got to the hospital.

Half way through the flight, the captain came into the passenger cabin, "Dr. Lamb?"

Dr. Lamb, who had been lost in thought, looked to the captain, "Yes?"

"Doctor," the captain said, "there is a message for you from a General Graycliffe. He says that the secret can be let out, but only when absolutely necessary, and to use your judgement about that,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Thank you. If he's still on, let him know that that will make my job much easier, and thank him for me,"

The captain nodded, "I'll pass your message back, doctor," then he turned back to the cockpit.

The captain returned to the cockpit and relayed Dr. Lamb's reply.

Dr. Lamb sat back, relaxing, this could turn out to be much easier than she had feared. But they also had to make that date with the Congressional Committee.

Timing things with that could be tight.


	20. Continued Recovery & Medical Scans

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Continued Recovery & Medical Scans

Soon the plane was coming in to land at the base near Barkenton.

Dr. Lamb had been dozing, but she came to as the plane's motion changed.

Once the plane had landed the captain came out into the passenger cabin, "We're here, doctor, the pilot will give you any assistance you need,"

"Thank you. I doubt I'll be needing any help, but thank you for the offer," Dr. Lamb said, getting up and grabbing the briefcase from the seat beside her, she quickly left the plane. Dr. Lamb quickly entered the airbase terminal, and headed for the local carpool desk.

"Good afternoon, ma'am," the private manning the desk said.

Dr. Lamb nodded, pulling out her TASCOM ID badge, "I need a car,"

The private nodded, "Yes, doctor. Your superior called while you were in the air,"

Dr. Lamb smiled, "Are there maps of the local communities in the car?"

The private nodded, with a small smile, "Yes, ma'am, the tourist board around here is a great help,"

"That's great," Dr. Lamb said, "I've been in and out of here a few times recently, but now I'm going somewhere different, and in a hurry,"

The private raised an eyebrow, "Can I ask where you're going, doctor?"

Dr. Lamb thought about it for a moment, "I'm going to Central Children's Hospital, here in the city,"

The private nodded, "Oh, is everything alright?"

"I'm afraid I probably can't say more than that, private," Dr. Lamb said, somewhat sternly, warning him off.

The private straightened and nodded, as he held out some car keys, "Of course, ma'am. Here you go,"

Dr. Lamb smiled reassuringly, "Good! Well, I'll be off then," she said warmly, taking the keys, and heading for the door that lead to the base parking lot.

The private relaxed, calling to her receding back, "Good luck, ma'am,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, waving to one side of her head, almost glancing over her shoulder.

The car was a "regulation" navy-blue sedan, like then one in which she and Dr. Jeffrey Stewart had picked up Daryl from the Richardsons the first time. Dr. Lamb sincerely hoped she would be able to return Daryl to them again. The license plate number on the car matched the one on the tag attached to the key ring for the key Dr. Lamb was holding.

Dr. Lamb got the car unlocked and opened the passenger side front door, and quickly placed the briefcase on the seat. Then, after closing the door she got into the the driver's side, and got herself buckled in. It didn't take her long to find the hospital in the city, on the map, which had been in the glove compartment. The map listed places of interest, and in a similar list there was a list of major hospitals. Once the hospital had been found on the map, Dr. Lamb started the car, and backed out of the spot, speeding off toward the parking lot exit to the highway with a squeal of rubber.

* * *

Joyce and Andy had borrowed seats from the area around the next gurney.

Andy sat up, hearing an argument out in the main hall.

"Look!" Dr. Lamb could be heard exclaiming, "I need this equipment to help one of your patients!"

"Which patient?" an unknown voice asked, incredulously.

"The one who is breathing, with a heart-rate, but no other signs of life," Dr. Lamb said.

Andy stood up, and walked out into the hall, "Hello Dr. Lamb,"

Dr. Lamb turned to Andy, "Hello, Mr. Richardson. I imagine there has been no change in Daryl's condition?"

Andy shook his head, "No,"

The doctor who had been trying to block Dr. Lamb turned to Andy, "You know this lady?"

Andy nodded, "Yes, I do,"

The doctor raised an eyebrow, "She's telling the truth?"

Andy nodded, "Yes, she is,"

The doctor stepped aside, and let Dr. Lamb pass.

Dr. Lamb strode toward the doorway where Andy was standing.

"Come on, doctor," Andy said, stepping aside to let Dr. Lamb enter the room.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Thank you,"

Andy followed Dr. Lamb back into the room.

Joyce was standing up by the time Dr. Lamb and Andy entered the room, "Hello, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Hello, Mrs. Richardson," she said, as she placed the briefcase at the foot of the gurney, "please pull the curtains closed," she then looked to Sherie-Lee, almost whispering, "Where's your equipment? I need the computer, the dish and the cables that go with it all,"

Andy and Turtle closed the curtains around the gurney.

Sherie-Lee stood up, and got the briefcase from behind the chair she had been sitting on, "Here it all is,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, saying cautiously, "I hope you weren't questioned too much about it," then Dr. Lamb said, "Open the case please, on the chair,"

Sherie-Lee looked nervous for a moment then shook her head, "Once I told people that the Richardson's might lose Daryl, I didn't get asked too much… Though I think people may have wondered about my sanity,"

Turtle almost laughed, relaxing now that Dr. Lamb had arrived, as he teased, "Some of us do that all the time Hookie,"

Sherie-Lee, Dr. Lamb, and Joyce all frowned at Turtle, almost chorusing, with varying levels of emotion, "That's enough, Turtle!"

Turtle backed off, suddenly wary, "OK!…"

Dr. Lamb got to work connecting the parabolic dish from Sherie-Lee's case, with the computer, and another somewhat larger parabolic dish from her case to the computer, "Well, let's see what we can do…,"

"Where do things need to be pointed?" Sherie-Lee asked.

"The small dish needs to be pointed at Daryl's head, again, and the large one needs to be pointed more-or-less in a southerly direction.

Turtle worked on the small dish, while Dr. Lamb adjusted the large one.

Dr. Lamb turned on the computer and was greeted be a two-toned beeping coming from it, "I guess that's it," Dr. Lamb said, turning back to the computer, and pressing the RETURN key to silence the noise.

Joyce was standing by the gurney, with her arms crossed, unable to see the screen, "Can we find out what's going on?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "In short, I am going to get Daryl's artificial intelligence functions restored, then he will wake up,"

"Is that all he needs?" Turtle asked excitedly.

Joyce raised an eyebrow, a little incredulous.

Dr. Lamb nodded to Turtle, then turned back to Joyce, "However, he will be expecting to be waking up this morning, at home,"

Joyce nodded, understanding.

Dr. Lamb entered a command into the computer:

DISPLAY ORGANIC SECTOR STATUS

The computer replied:

ORGANIC SECTOR AVAILABLE  
LIFEFORM LIFE-SIGNS AVAILABLE (VITAL ORGANS ONLY)  
AI LOGIC UNAVAILABLE

Dr. Lamb nodded, reading the status report, and being satisfied for the moment. Dr. Lamb then entered another command:

REMOTLY LOAD AI LOGIC FROM ORGANIC SECTOR DATABASE

The computer replied:

AI LOGIC REMOTE LOADING IN PROGRESS (10 MIN. EST.)

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Well, now we wait,"

Joyce raised an eyebrow, "How long?"

"About ten minutes," Dr. Lamb said, closing the computer, "But remember, he's going to be disoriented,"

Joyce nodded.

"What is going on here?" a male voice called out, pulling open the curtains.

Joyce stuck her head out between the pulled curtains, "Hello, doctor,"

"I understand there is another doctor here who knows how to help your son?" the doctor asked.

Joyce nodded, "Yes, Dr. Jameson,"

"He can't come in here," Dr. Lamb warned darkly, speaking over her shoulder, trying to hide the computer she was working on.

Dr. Jameson quickly came and started pulling back the curtain all the way, taking some offence at Dr. Lamb's comment, "I am one of the senior emergency room doctors here. Who on Earth are you?"

"I, sir," Dr. Lamb began softly, "Am Dr. Ellen Lamb, of the United States Military black-projects organisation known as the Tactical Autonomous Systems Command, or TASCOM," she held out her TASCOM ID badge, continuing before a dumbfounded Dr. Jameson could respond, "I'm not a medical doctor. I have a doctorate in Computer Science, specializing in Artificial Intelligence,"

Dr. Jameson soon caught his breath, then almost burst out laughing, incredulous, "And you expect me to believe all of this!?" then he noticed the things piled at the foot of the gurney, and became serious again, "What is all of this? You know we don't allow untested electrical devices around pure oxygen, don't you?"

Dr. Lamb sighed, realizing the emergency room doctor was right, "I'm sorry about that sir, but you have to promise you won't say anything to anyone about what you see here, without my permission," Dr. Lam said sternly, "Do we have a deal?"

Dr. Jameson nodded slowly.

"This equipment allows me to communicate with Daryl when he's seemingly unconscious," Dr. Lamb explained, turning to Sherie-Lee momentarily, "Or even dead, as you did a few hours ago,"

"What?" Dr. Jameson asked, glancing at Sherie-Lee.

Sherie-Lee nodded, "Dr. Lamb here showed me how to get his heart and lungs going again,"

"What on Earth?" Dr. Jameson said, still very confused.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Yes, doctor. Would you like more explanation?"

"Certainly!" Dr. Jameson nodded, shocked but solicitous, "Come to my office, it's just down the hall,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, and before she followed him down the hall, closed the curtains around the gurney.

* * *

Dr. Jameson led Dr. Lamb to his office, and closed the door behind her, saying warmly, "Please, doctor, sit down!"

Dr. Lamb sat down in the chair, "Thank you,"

"Oh, no problem," Dr. Jameson said, with forced cheer, then he turned serious, as he came around his desk and sat in the chair behind it, "Now, maybe you'll tell me who you _really_ are,"

Dr. Lamb sighed, leaning back in her chair, but staring at Dr. Jameson, "My name is Dr. Ellen Lamb, I and my late husband earned our Ph.Ds in Computer Science, at Stanford University, we each graduated with honours _magna cum laude_ and we specialized in Artificial Intelligence. The boy on the gurney out there was our crowning achievement–that is, he was after we were practically hounded out of Stanford for wanting to use a computer to replace the brain of an otherwise living person. We were given the honours, strangely enough, to stop us from doing what we planned on. People thought we had a fascinating, even potentially ground-breaking idea, but there was no way they would allow it to be done. Stanford didn't want to be tarnished with what we planned to do-As I am sure you could imagine, the scientific ethics committee at Stanford was disturbed by our proposal, to put it mildly, even if some of our colleges thought it might have had merit, in theory, of course. We got funding from the military, after leaving Stanford, and TASCOM was established once we promised to use our first born as the initial test subject,"

Dr. Jameson' jaw fell, and he almost rose to his feet, "My God! Were you mad!?"

Dr. Lamb shrugged and sighed, nodded glumly and almost slumped in her seat, "I suppose we were. We were so sure of our theories, but we refused to do anything invasive to Daryl ourselves, even after leaving the university." Dr. Lamb said, explaining about Dr. Mulligan.

"Where is this computer in the boy?" Dr. Jameson asked, trying to sound credulous, almost sounding tired.

Dr. Lamb shrugged, "Inside the head, of course,"

"But, of course," Dr. Jameson said, smiling condescendingly.

Dr. Lamb raised an eyebrow, "You simply refuse to believe me, don't you?"

Dr. Jameson nodded, "If you heard what you have told me, would you believe what you were being told?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I understand. Think up a reason to give him a cranial X-ray or CT scan, and you'll see. An MRI is out of the question, of course. But, also, the number of people in the room should be minimal,"

Dr. Jameson nodded, "You're serious, aren't you?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I'm definitely not kidding with you,"

Dr. Jameson nodded back, with a sigh, "Very well, since he has had a _neurological_ issue that brought him in, a head CT scan would be in order, and it will seem usual. I will be present, though,"

"Can you operate a CT scanner?" Dr. Lamb enquired, slightly nervous.

Dr. Jameson shook his head, "No, there will be an operator there with us, but this will be covered under medical confidentiality, remember,"

"Alright." Dr. Lamb relaxed, saying wistfully, "My late husband could operate CT equipment,"

Dr. Jameson raised an eyebrow, realizing something, "I'm sorry. Want to try?"

Dr. Lamb sighed, "No, I never learned, but thank you for the offer. Our equipment was specialized in ways I can't describe, anyway,"

Dr. Jameson took a guess, still sounding mildly incredulous, "You had special functions to handle his computer equipment?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, realizing this man was no fool, "Yes, something like that,"

Dr. Jameson nodded, "Well, I'll call down to the radiology department, and get a scan scheduled as soon as possible,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, standing up, "I'll let the Richardson's know what's happening,"

Dr. Jameson stood up, and came around his desk, "Very well,"

Dr. Lamb held out her hand, "Thank you,"

Dr. Jameson shook Dr. Lamb's outstretched hand, "You are very welcome,"

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "Not at all, doctor. This information has to be confined to those on a need-to-know basis. Those are my orders from my superior,"

Dr. Jameson raised an eyebrow in surprise, "That's why you want a minimum of people in the control booth?"

Dr. Lamb nodded.

"Don't worry, doctor. We all take medical information confidentiality requirements very seriously here," Dr. Jameson said, opening the door, "I will see you later,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Why don't you make the call with me present?"

Dr. Jameson nodded, closing the door, and returning to his desk, "You don't trust me, do you?"

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "You seem friendly and understanding enough, but I simply can't. You'll simply have to understand that,"

Dr. Jameson nodded, considering what Dr. Lamb had just said, "I suppose I will," then he reached for his phone, "I will just be a moment,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, watching and listening as Dr. Jameson ordered up a CT scan for Daryl.

"Done," Dr. Jameson said, hanging up the phone, "Shall we head out now?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, feeling satisfied that nothing inappropriate had been passed to an unknown party, as she was heading back to the door, and opening it.

"You can't tell me what got this work started, can you?" Dr. Jameson said, heading for the open door.

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "Not outside your office. Let's go talk to the Richardsons,"

Dr. Jameson nodded, understanding, "Did the Richardson's know when they met Daryl?"

"The first time?", Dr. Lamb shook her head, "No,"

Dr. Jameson looked surprised, "How did they not know about it?"

"You're about to really meet Daryl, tell me if you can tell," Dr. Lamb said enigmatically.

"Oh," Dr. Jameson said, "OK,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, as she arrived back at the cubicle Daryl and the others were in, "How are things?"

The computer equipment was gone, packed away.

Daryl was wearing a t-shirt, but the rest of him was covered with the bed-sheet from the gurney.

Joyce stood up, "Hello, doctors. Daryl was complaining about discomfort from down below, soon after he woke up. I'm afraid I didn't know what to do,"

Dr. Jameson nodded, "Ah, yes, we put a catheter into him to help with his continence,"

Joyce looked surprised, than nodded, "Oh, OK,"

"I'll get a nurse to take it out," Dr. Jameson said, then turned to leave.

Daryl looked nervous, "This won't hurt, will it?"

Joyce put an arm around Daryl's shoulders warmly, saying, "I'm sure everything is going to be fine, Daryl,"

Dr. Lamb thought to herself, Just don't go setting off someone's life support equipment, young man,

So far Daryl hadn't inadvertently caused interference with any medical devices.

Daryl smiled, "Thanks, Mom,"

Soon a nurse arrived with a tray of supplies needed to remove the catheter, which she did.

Joyce smiled and thanked the nurse, then got the rest of Daryl's clothes out.

"Actually, Mrs. Richardson, I wouldn't get your son dressed yet," the nurse said, "They need to do some more tests on him,"

Dr. Lamb nodded.

"He'll be taken down to radiology in a little while," the nurse said, "They prefer if patients are gowned,"

Dr. Lamb silently nodded, having a good idea what this was about, but keeping quiet in front of the nurse.

Once the nurse had left, Joyce turned to Dr. Lamb, asking softly, "What on Earth is going on? I thought he would be already to go,"

Dr. Lamb softly explained about her discussion with Dr. Jameson.

"You mean his existence can be out-in-the-open now?" Joyce asked.

Dr. Lamb explained about the new selective secrecy rules.

Joyce sighed in worry, things had become a whole lot more complicated, again. Who to trust with this information?

Turtle and Sherie-Lee came back with Andy, "Oh, Daryl! You're awake!" Turtle said excitedly.

"What do you remember, Daryl?" Sherie-Lee asked.

Daryl shrugged, "I thought I was supposed to wake up at home, but Mom says I'm in the hospital again,"

Everybody else nodded almost in unison.

"I guess the magnets on the field trip got me?" Daryl guessed.

Turtle and Sherie-Lee nodded, "Yup," Turtle said.

Daryl turned to Joyce, "I'm so sorry, Mom. You're not mad at me, are you?"

Joyce sighed, shaking her head, her emotions almost overwhelming her, "No. I'm just glad you're back," she hugged Daryl fiercely.

Daryl returned the embrace but not as strongly, "Thank you, Mom," Daryl hadn't yet really grasped the nature of the situation he had seemingly woken-up from.

"It's good to see you back," Andy said.

Daryl almost beamed, "Thanks, Dad,"

Andy shook his head, "It's no problem at all, but I probably should be heading back to work,"

Joyce nodded, "I cancelled all my piano tutoring sessions when the school called,"

"Do they have to do more with me?"

Joyce nodded, a small smile on her lips, "Yeah, they want to look at your head, kiddo,"

Daryl looked worried, "But are others supposed to know?"

Joyce tilted her head to one side, "It seems, Daryl, like Dr. Jameson here is wondering about Dr. Lamb's sanity. In order to prove that she has told him the truth, they need pictures inside your head,"

Daryl still looked worried, "But are others supposed to know?"

Joyce pointed to Dr. Lamb, "If it will help you live, apparently they can be told. But that may only apply to grown-ups who might find out anyway,"

"Can we tell Mr. Nesbitt?" Daryl asked.

"I wouldn't, if I were you, Daryl," Dr. Lamb said.

"Why?" Daryl enquired.

"Well, whether your teacher knows or not won't affect your survival chances, out in the wild, as this would be called," Dr. Lamb explained, using her hands to indicate their surroundings.

Joyce glanced at Dr. Lamb strangely, "Out in the wild?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Given that Daryl was never supposed to be out of you-know-where, that's what this is called," she said.

Joyce nodded, slowly.

"And those are the situations in which Daryl's secret can be let out," Dr. Lamb said.

Joyce nodded more energetically, understanding, "For another thing, he'd probably get as upset as Howie did when we all met at the house,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, remembering, "I can imagine he would. He may be strict with the children, but he probably wouldn't be working as a teacher if he didn't care for them,"

Joyce nodded, "I certainly hope he would. He seemed quite concerned about Daryl when we got here. He seemed to want to ask alls sorts of questions, but we couldn't tell him anything,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Well, let's keep it that way,"

The nurse came back, with a clean gown, "OK, Daryl, put this on please…,"

Dr. Lamb got up, "I think I'll leave now. I think I'm supposed to meet with Dr. Jameson soon,"

Joyce nodded, "OK, see you later, doctor," then she turned to Daryl, "Get your top off,"

Daryl got his top off, and took the gown, "How do I get this on? I don't remember the other being put on me,"

"The opposite of the way the other came off, basically. I'll help you tie it behind your neck, but you can get it on easily enough," Joyce said.

Daryl nodded, and started getting his arms in the sleeves, and trying to wrap it around behind himself.

Joyce tied the string behind his neck, "There you go,"

Daryl smiled, "Thank you, mom,"

"No problem," Joyce said, stepping back.

A hospital orderly came to the cubicle, "Hello, I'm here to take this boy downstairs,"

Joyce turned and nodded, "Oh, certainly. Do you need me, Daryl?"

Daryl shook his head, "No, Dr. Lamb will be there,"

Joyce nodded, "I think I'll come any way,"

Daryl nodded, as the orderly started pulling his gurney out of its spot, "Alright, mom,"

Joyce collected some of her things from a chair, and followed the gurney to the elevator.

The wait wasn't long, and the elevator arrived.

"Let's go, young man," the orderly said, pulling the gurney onto the lift.

"I'll go where you take me," Daryl said.

Joyce glanced between the two.

"Well, we're just going downstairs, to radiology," the orderly explained.

Daryl looked worried, "More magnets?"

Joyce touched Daryl's hand, "No, Daryl. No more magnets, but they do need to take some pictures inside your head. Now don't worry."

Daryl nodded, "OK,"

Joyce smiled warmly, "That's a good boy,"

Daryl smiled.

Soon the elevator had arrived on the basement level, "Almost there," the orderly said, pulling the gurney from the elevator.

Joyce followed the gurney down the passageway, to the radiology department.

"Here we are," the orderly said, pulling the gurney to one side of the hall, by two wide laminate-wooden doors. Th orderly quickly left, his beeper ringing.

"How long, mom?" Daryl asked Joyce, looking worried.

"I hope it won't be too long, Daryl," Joyce said, squeezing his hand, trying to sound reassuring.

Daryl nodded in agreement.

Soon Dr. Lamb and Dr. Jameson were coming down the hall, "Ah, there they are," Dr. Lamb said.

Dr. Jameson nodded.

Joyce waved to the doctors as they approached, "Yup, we're here,"

Soon the door to the CT scan suite swung in on its hinges, and a young lady stuck her head out, "Daryl Richardson!"

"Here!" Joyce and Daryl replied, almost in unison.

The young lady came out into the hall, "My name is Jane Patrick. I understand there will be some doctors present at this test?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Yes, the emergency department doctor and I will be there in the control booth,"

Dr. Jameson nodded in agreement, "I set things up when I placed the order for the CT scan,"

Jane nodded, struggling slightly to pull the gurney in through the opened door into the CT scanner suite, "Yes, doctors,"

"Well, at least one of us is a doctor," Dr. Jameson said briskly, ignoring Dr. Lamb's sudden frown, and Joyce' wary glance.

"Well," Dr. Lamb said coolly, "you're the only _medical_ doctor here,"

"Oh," she said, "is the boy ready?"

Daryl nodded, "Yes, I'm ready,"

"OK, then," she said, pulling the gurney alongside the CT scanner table, getting the side of the gurney down, she continued, "Can you get onto the table here? I know it's rather hard,"

Daryl nodded, and started sliding off the gurney onto the table, "Do I lie down?"

Jane nodded, "Yes, and you have to stay still while the scan is being done,"

"I think I can do that," Daryl said, laying down on the table, his head on the small plastic pillow at the end closest to the scanner ring.

Jane turned to the other grown-ups, "He looks old enough that he won't have to be sedated,"

"He won't," Dr. Lamb quietly assured the others.

Joyce nodded, having some idea of what Dr. Lamb was thinking, but she also thought to her self that Jane and Dr. Jameson may need sedation after they discover Daryl's secret.

"Mom?" Daryl asked, "What does sedated mean?"

"Daryl," Joyce said, "it means they give you a drug to make you sleepy,"

And, Dr. Lamb thought to herself, it wouldn't work on you anyway.

"Oh," Daryl said, "I'll stay still,"

Jane nodded, as she turned and headed for the control booth, followed at a slight distance by Drs. Lamb, and Jameson, and Mrs. Richardson.

"Daryl," Jane said over the intercom, "Can you hear me?"

Daryl nodded, "Yes, I can hear you,"

"That's good, Daryl," Jane said, "Now we are going to move the bed you're lying on into the machine's round hole. Please keep your hands on your lap,"

"I will," Daryl said, placing his hands on his lower abdomen.

Dr. Lamb nodded, through the control booth window, though Daryl wasn't looking.

A pattern of glowing red lines appeared on the bed, above Daryl's head. Once the bed started its slide into the hole, the pattern moved down to centre on the top of Daryl's head.

"What's happening?" Daryl asked, worriedly.

"Everything's fine, Daryl," Jane said.

Dr. Lamb was standing just behind and to one side of Jane, with Dr. Jameson on the other side of her. Dr. Lamb thought about what Jane had just said, That may not last, not in here at least.

"We're just going to take some pictures of your head. You'll see something zip across what you're seeing in the doughnut hole, and the bed will jerk occasionally, but don't move, whatever you do," Jane said.

"I won't," Daryl said.

Dr. Lamb tried not to hold her breath, at least not too obviously.

After a few moments, a picture appeared on one of the two screens mounted below the control booth window.

Moment of truth, Dr. Lamb thought.

Dr. Jameson looked at the picture closely, there was a large, almost egg-shaped mass on the screen. It was white, or a uniform very light grey, since it blocked the x-ray beams produced by the scanner's emitter from the detectors on the opposite side of the doughnut hole.

"What is _that_?" Dr. Jameson slowly asked, after a moment of shocked silence.

"That," Dr. Lamb said, with certain finality, "is Daryl's brain,"

Jane turned to Dr. Lamb, "But it's radio-opaque! Brain tissue _isn't_ completely radio-opaque!" she softly repeated, referring to the effect the metal in Daryl's head had on the x-rays in the scanner, "Only bone is nearly that dense, but we compensate for that on head scans as standard operating procedure. We wouldn't see most structures of the head otherwise, " she turned to Dr. Jameson, "I've done thousands of these procedures before…,"

Dr. Jameson looked at Dr. Lamb, almost placing a reassuring hand on Jane's nearest shoulder, "You were completely serious, weren't you, doctor?"

Dr. Lamb nodded at Dr. Jameson, then Jane.

Jane looked at Dr. Jameson oddly in the dim light, "What was she completely serious, about?"

"Can she be told?" Dr. Jameson asked Dr. Lamb.

"Well, she's seen enough now," Dr. Lamb said to Dr. Jameson, nodding.

"Seen enough of what?" Jane asked, almost getting to her feet.

"Jane," Dr. Jameson started, shifting his glance from Jane to Dr. Lamb, "what you are about to hear will seem unbelievable, even far-fetched, but the proof would seem to be on your display in front of you,"

Jane nodded to Dr. Jameson, then turned back to Dr. Lamb, "OK…,"

"Daryl, was, and in some ways still is, an experiment in artificial intelligence," Dr. Lamb said matter-of-factly.

"What?" Jane asked in disbelief.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Daryl's name is actually an acronym," then she spelled-out Daryl's name, and finally expanded the resulting acronym.

"Why?" Dr. Jameson asked, trying to remain calm.

Dr. Lamb tried to explain.

"That sounds all quite fascinating," Dr. Jameson said, "but why did you do it to a _child_?"

Dr. Lamb explained, "If there had been behavioural issues that came up after implantation, then he could be controlled more easily, and with less chance of damage to the hardware in that event," even she no longer felt comfortable with that explanation, even though that had been the reason.

Dr. Jameson nodded, "Sedatives work on the brain, remember. Since it seems you replaced it, there'd be nothing for the pharmaceuticals to interact with,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Basically, that's right,"

Jane looked from Dr. Jameson to Dr. Lamb, and back, something about Dr. Lamb's answer seemed a little odd, "Isn't she a doctor?"

Dr. Lamb looked to Jane, with understanding, "I have a doctorate in Computer Science, specializing in Artificial Intelligence. I'm actually _not_ a medical doctor,"

Dr. Jameson nodded slowly, "OK, I think,"

Jane looked to Dr. Jameson, a questioning look in her eyes, "Are we done here?"

Dr. Jameson nodded, looking to Dr. Lamb, who nodded to him.

"We're done, but nobody can know what you've seen and heard," Dr. Lamb said, looking at Jane.

Jane nodded, then shook her head, saying softly, "I don't think most would believe what I've seen and heard today,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, understanding her predicament, "And it's probably better that way,"


	21. Discharged to Suit Rental

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Discharged to Suit Rental

Jane slowly got up, "I guess I should get the boy out of the scanner now…,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, and followed Jane out to the main room, "We're done Daryl,"

Jane nodded, operating the controls by the bed, to bring Daryl out of the hole, "Yes, we're done,"

Daryl sat up, "Can we go home now?"

"Well, " Joyce said, coming from the control booth herself, "I have some clothes from home for you upstairs,"

Daryl nodded, swinging his legs over the side of the table.

"Generally," Joyce explained, "they don't let patients leave the hospital in just one of the hospital's gowns…,"

Daryl nodded, "Oh, alright,"

"That's all you're wearing right now," Joyce said, as if Daryl needed reminding.

Daryl nodded, "I guess I should be wearing more, before going outside,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, Daryl's modesty code was working as expected, not that that had been a problem for a couple of years now, but it worked as a good basic test of his normal functioning.

Daryl slid off the side of the table, and walked over to the gurney, "Can somebody give me a hand, please?"

Joyce followed Daryl over to the gurney, and took his nearest hand in hers, "Certainly," she held the gurney for Daryl.

Daryl got up, and laid down on the gurney, "I'm ready to go,"

Jane came over and raised the side of the gurney with a nod, "Now you are,"

Daryl nodded back to her, "OK, thanks,"

"You're welcome," Jane said, turning back toward the control booth, "Now I need to call the transport office, to come and get ya, Daryl,"

Daryl nodded, "Can't you take me?"

Jane shook her head, "There are other kids who need looking at,"

Dr. Lamb nodded in agreement, behind Jane's back, thinking to herself, Better to forget what you've seen this afternoon.

Joyce stood beside the gurney, holding Daryl's hand absent-mindedly, "I'm sure they'll be back to get you soon,"

"OK, mom," Daryl said.

Jane grabbed the bars at the foot of the gurney, "I'll just get you out into the hall, Daryl,"

Daryl nodded, "OK,"

"I take it the MRI suite is shielded in some way?" Dr. Lamb asked.

Jane nodded, pulling the gurney toward the door, "Yes, doctor, that suite's walls, ceiling, and floor together make up a Faraday cage. Can somebody hold the door open for me?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, heading for the door.

"What?" Joyce asked.

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "Just making sure the same thing that brought him to the hospital can't happen here, that's all," then she pulled the door open

Joyce nodded slowly, "I take it, there are magnets in MRIs?"

Jane nodded, "MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, after all,"

Dr. Lamb nodded to Joyce, "In fact, I told the other doctor that he couldn't use the MRI equipment to examine him,"

Joyce nodded, looking relieved.

Dr. Lamb nodded in agreement.

Jane pulled the gurney through the open door, and pulled it to the side of the hallway, "Well, Daryl, it was nice to met you,"

Daryl nodded, holding out his hand, "It was nice to meet you as well,"

Jane shook his hand.

"Good bye," Daryl said.

"Good bye, Daryl," Jane said.

Joyce nodded.

Jane walked back into the CT Scanner suite.

"Well, now we wait," Joyce said to Daryl.

Daryl nodded, "I hope it won't be long,"

"So do I," Joyce said.

"Mrs. Richardson, that Washington event is due to happen in a couple of days, or at least begin then," Dr. Lamb said under her breath, standing beside Joyce, beside the gurney.

"What Washington event, doctor? Mom?" Daryl asked.

Joyce nodded, "Does Daryl need good clothes? A suit?," then said softly, "He doesn't have one,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Then get him one. I'm sure it could certainly impress,"

Joyce smiled, "Which would help, wouldn't it? I mean with the people we're going to be meeting with,"

Dr. Lamb nodded uncertainly, "It might impress,"

Another hospital orderly came down the hall, "Daryl Richardson?"

Daryl waved, "I'm here!"

The orderly stopped at Daryl's gurney, setting a clipboard at Daryl's feet, "Let's get you back to the emergency department,"

Daryl nodded, "Alright, Coming mom?"

"Right behind you," Joyce said, as the orderly pulled the gurney away from the wall, and started pulling it down the hall.

Dr. Lamb followed along with Joyce.

Soon the three of them were back in the Emergency department.

"Here we are," the orderly said, "Have a nice day!"

Daryl, Joyce and Dr. Lamb nodded, "Thank you," Daryl said.

The orderly left.

Joyce pulled a shopping bag out from behind a chair, "Well, here are your fresh clothes,"

Daryl nodded, "In the bag?"

Joyce nodded, pulling out shorts and a t-shirt, and other clothes.

Daryl nodded, "Thanks mom,"

"No problem at all, should we give you some privacy to get dressed?" Joyce asked Daryl, her glance shifting to Dr. Lamb.

Daryl nodded, "OK,"

Joyce and Dr. Lamb turned and walked out of the curtained cubicle, closing the curtain behind themselves.

Daryl got the hospital gown off, and quickly dressed in the clothes Joyce had brought from home.

"Done, Daryl?" Joyce asked through the curtain.

"Almost, mom," Daryl paused, "Just getting my shoes on,"

Joyce pulled back one of the curtains, "So, you ready to go get a suit?"

Daryl looked a little surprised, "Now?"

Joyce nodded, glancing at her watch momentarily, "Certainly. Why not? The stores are still open,"

Daryl nodded, understanding, as he finished tying his shoes, and stood up, "OK, Mom, I'm ready,"

Dr. Lamb had stood there, watching the scene, and stepped forward, "Daryl?"

Daryl turned to Dr. Lamb, "Yes, doctor?"

Dr. Lamb held out her right hand, "I'll see you and your family in Washington in a couple of days,"

Daryl nodded, shaking Dr. Lamb's offered hand, "Yes, doctor. I'll see you again then,"

Joyce nodded, her eye's misting slightly, "Good bye, doctor. Thank you for everything you've done today,"

Dr. Lamb shook her head, smiling warmly at Joyce and Daryl, "It's no problem at all,"

"Thank you, anyway," Joyce said, trying to restrain her emotions.

Dr. Lamb shook her head again, "Really, it's nothing. I'll meet you at Washington's National Airport, in person on Friday evening, things are already being arranged,"

Joyce nodded, "Thank you,"

Daryl was feeling nervous with the emotion from Joyce, so he headed for the door leading to the Emergency ward hallway, he turned, "Coming mom?"

Joyce broke out of her reverie, and started turning for the door herself, "Good bye for now, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Good bye, Mrs. Richardson," and followed Joyce to the door.

Joyce gently directed Daryl out into the hallway, and headed toward the Emergency ward exit.

"Oh, Mrs. Richardson!", Dr. Jameson was there at the Emergency ward desk.

Joyce stopped, with Daryl, and turned, "Yes?"

Dr. Jameson came forward, with a clipboard in his hand, "I have a hospital release and discharge form for you to sign, please,"

Joyce nodded, "Of course," she rummaged in her purse, "Do you have a pen there?"

Dr. Jameson smiled warmly, nodded, and took a pen from his lab-coat pocket, "Here you go,"

Joyce took the pen and the clipboard, quickly scanning the form attached to its surface, "Alright…," she signed the form next to where Dr. Jameson indicated with his finger: "Parent/Guardian Signature:".

Dr. Jameson took back the clipboard and his pen, "Have a good day!"

Joyce nodded, "You too," then she took Daryl's arm again, and continued walking to the exit.

Daryl let himself be led out of the hospital building, and into the attached parking garage. Once they entered the parking garage, he looked around, and at Joyce, "Where's the car?"

"It's in here," Joyce said uncertainly, as she looked around, and finally saw a painted letter-and-number code she recognized, "Ah, it's this way. Come on, Daryl," she said, leading him off to one side.

"There it is!" Daryl said.

Joyce nodded, "Don't forget to look both ways now, Daryl,"

Daryl looked in both directions for vehicles, "Nothing,"

Joyce nodded, and led Daryl across the roadway that ran between two rows of parking spaces, many with cars in them. Joyce looked around, "Busy place!"

Daryl nodded, "All these cars are for people in the hospital?"

Joyce nodded, "Or visiting someone, yes,"

"Where are we going?" Daryl asked, as the two came up beside the rear bumper of Joyce' car.

Joyce got the front passenger-side door open, "There's a large shopping centre between here and home," she started explaining.

Daryl got into the car while Joyce talked, and nodded.

Joyce closed Daryl's door once he was in.

Daryl started doing up his seatbelt.

Joyce opened her door, and continued as she got in, "There are a lot of stores there. In fact I think your dad, that is _Andy_, bought a suit at a store there,"

Daryl nodded, as Joyce got the car started.

Joyce glanced at Daryl hopefully, as she started the car, "We'll see what they can do for you at short notice,"

"How much notice do they normally need?" Daryl enquired.

"Normally about a week, if they need to make changes," Joyce said, pulling out of the parking space.

Daryl frowned, "But we only have a couple of days! I heard Dr. Lamb too!"

Joyce nodded, driving out of the parking lot, "I know. We'll see what we can do, Daryl. We might get in luck! You probably don't know it, but this is the time of year when people are getting married, and so there may be a selection of dress clothes for kids,"

"What does that have to do with things?" Daryl asked.

"Well," Joyce started explaining, "Children are often given some small part in the activities. So, they get dressed up in rented dress clothes, just like the adults do,"

Daryl nodded, "I think I understand,"

Joyce smiled, "Good," then she turned off the freeway, "We're almost there," and she pulled into the shopping centre parking lot.

Daryl looked around, "This is another busy place,"

Joyce nodded, driving carefully between the rows of parked cars, "Welcome to the big city, Daryl,"

"So, this is it?" Daryl asked.

"Well, the hospital was in the down-town. These are the suburbs. But of course _they're_ getting closer to Barkenton every year it seems," Joyce said, ending on a tone of mild disappointment.

"Oh?", Daryl enquired, "What's wrong with that?"

Joyce shook her head, pulling into and empty parking space, "Me and Andy like the small town life…,"

"Oh," Daryl said, "What would happen to Barkenton?"

Joyce shrugged, undoing her seat belt, "I'm sure it'd still exist, it just wouldn't be the same some how,"

Daryl nodded, as he undid his seat belt, and was trying to understand, or at least seem like he did.

Joyce shook her head, about to open her door, "I'm sorry, Daryl. I shouldn't be burdening you with all this,"

Daryl shook his head back, reaching for the door handle on the passenger side, "No, it's Ok, mom,"

Joyce smiled, starting to open the driver's door, "Thank you, Daryl,"

Daryl nodded, opening the passenger door.

Joyce got out, with her purse over her shoulder, then closed the door and locked it.

Daryl got out and closed the door, Joyce came around and looked the passenger door.

"Now we can go," Joyce said.

Daryl held on to Joyce, looking around at all the traffic, and let himself be lead toward the nearest entrance.

Joyce opened the door, "In you go, Daryl,"

Daryl nodded, and went through the open door.

Joyce followed behind, letting the door close behind them.

Daryl looked around, softly exclaiming, "It's almost like an indoor street,"

Joyce nodded, heading for the nearest store-location display, "And here's the street map, and they list types of stores. Now, men's apparel…," Joyce used her index finger to scan down the list of stores, listed according to type, "Ah, here it is! 'Dan Miller's Dress Clothes for Men _and Boys'_,"

Daryl nodded, pointing at a red circle placed at one of the entrances on the map, reading the label, "'You Are Here',-But we're right here…," he said pointing at his feet.

Joyce shook her head, putting her finger on the dot, "No, Daryl. This dot shows us where we are on the map,"

Daryl nodded, "And the store is at B3? Where's that?"

Joyce pointed out the coordinate markers on the edge of the map, "There's B…, and there's 3. Now, where they meet is the general area where the store is found,"

Daryl nodded excitedly, "I know where it is now!"

Joyce smiled, "Now we can go,"

Daryl headed off, "OK,"

"Daryl!" Joyce called heading after him.

Daryl stopped almost in his tracks, "Yes?"

Joyce smiled warmly, quickly catching up to him, "Let's stick together,"

Daryl nodded, "OK,"

Joyce took Daryl's hand, "That's better,"

Daryl relaxed, being lead to the store.

Joyce led Daryl into the store, "Hello?"

A store clerk came to them almost immediately, "Hello, Ma'am. How may we help you today?"

"I was wondering," Joyce started, "Whether you might have a dress suit in my son's size,"

The store clerk looked Daryl up and down, appraisingly, "Ah, we just might,"

"Thank you," Daryl said.

"No problem, young man. If you would come with me, please," The store clerk said, heading further back into the store.

Joyce and Daryl followed after the clerk.

The clerk stopped in front of a rack of suits in boys sizes, "May I ask if this is for a wedding, or some other special occasion?"

"It's for a special occasion," Joyce said.

The clerk nodded, as she pulled out a suit, dark grey with thin cream-coloured pinstripes, "Here you are,"

Joyce nodded, "Looks good. Now, stand up straight, Daryl,"

Daryl stood nearly ram-rod straight.

The clerk took the pants off the hanger, and held them up to Daryl's waist, nodding approvingly, "Looks good,"

Daryl glanced at the store clerk, back over his shoulder, "Can I try the jacket?"

The clerk nodded, and took the suit jacket off the hook, "There you go,"

Daryl took the suit jacket and put it on.

Joyce nodded approvingly, "That looks very good on you, Daryl,"

"Thank you, mom," Daryl said.

Joyce nodded again, "I think we'll take this suit, then,"

The clerk nodded, "Can I have the suit jacket back for a moment?"

Daryl nodded, "Oh, certainly," as he got the jacket off.

The clerk took the suit pants and the jacket and placed them on the hanger again, "I'll take these to the checkout for you,"

Joyce nodded, taking Daryl's hand, "Let's go and pay,"

Daryl nodded, as Joyce led him after the store clerk.

Joyce stopped at the counter, and the store clerk stepped behind it, laying the suit down on top of it.

"How would you like to pay for the rental?" The clerk asked, while putting the suit into a oversized clear plastic dust-cover.

Joyce pulled out a credit card, "With this,"

The clerk nodded, taking the card, "Yes, ma'am," she scanned the labels stuck to the insides of the suit jacket and the pants, at the back of the collar and waist, respectively, "That will be five dollars per day, for the rental,"

Joyce nodded, "Alright,"

The clerk handed back Joyce's credit card after having swiped it through a mechanical press, under a set of papers. The clerk then wrote one day price in the proper space on the paper, and then both the papers and the card were handed to Joyce, "I'll charge you for the first day now, then you can pay off the remainder of the rental charge when you return the suit,"

Joyce nodded her understanding, as she signed the papers with her pen, which she found this time in her purse, and handed the papers back to the clerk.

The clerk tore off the top piece of paper and handed it back to Joyce.

Joyce put things back into her wallet, and put them back in her purse.

The clerk held up the suit, "Here you go. Have a nice day,"

Joyce nodded, taking the suit, "And you as well,"

"Thank you," the clerk said.

Joyce lead Daryl out of the store, and back towards the mall entrance.

"I hope they're impressed, mom," Daryl said, as he walked through the door that Joyce held open.

Joyce nodded in agreement, "I certainly hope it helps,"

Daryl looked around at the parking lot, being late-afternoon/early-evening now, there were fewer cars parked in the lot, "It's not so busy out here now,"

Joyce nodded, "People have headed home, and so should we,"

"Yes, mom," Daryl said.

Joyce put an arm around Daryl's shoulders, as they both stepped off the curb.

Daryl smiled up at Joyce momentarily once they were in the roadway.

Joyce led Daryl back to the car.

Daryl stood by the front passenger-side door, while Joyce unlocked it, "Can I get in?"

Joyce nodded, heading for the back of the car, "Oh, of course,"

Daryl opened the door, and got in, and buckled his seat belt.

Joyce opened the hatch-back of the car and laid the suit down across the cargo area, then closed it with a thump.

Daryl looked back between the front seats, "Everything OK, Mom?"

Joyce nodded, coming up the opposite side of the car, and opening the driver's door, and asking as she got in, "What was that?"

"I ask if everything was OK?" Daryl asked, watching Joyce get into the car, as he sat back in his seat.

Joyce nodded, buckling her seatbelt, "Everything's fine, why Daryl?"

Daryl looked nervous for a moment, "The way you closed the back, sorry,"

Joyce shook her head, getting out her car key's, "Oh, I guess being here, in a place like this, is getting to me,"

Daryl nodded, "You really don't like the city getting bigger, do you?"

Joyce shook her head, starting the car, "No, but it happens. There isn't much you can do about it,"

"Oh, alright then," Daryl said.

Joyce smiled warmly, and patted Daryl on the hand, "That's right, Daryl. Don't worry about it. OK?"

Daryl nodded, "I won't. I guess I have other things to worry about right now?"

Joyce nodded slowly, almost not wanting to agree with him, she sighed, "That's right, Daryl,"

Daryl noticed that the car seemed to be idling, "Time to head home?"

Joyce nodded, putting the car in reverse, and backing out of the spot, "Yes, Andy should be home soon,"

Daryl smiled, "I hope he had a good day, once he got back to work,"

Joyce nodded, putting the car in 'Drive', "Well, he knew you were out-of-the-woods when he left, so I'm sure that would help,"

Daryl looked perplexed, "Out of the woods? What does that mean?"

"Oh," Joyce said, driving off, "It means you weren't sick any more,"

"But I wasn't sick, was I?" Daryl asked.

Joyce nodded, partly keeping her eye on the road, her head slightly tilted to one side in thought, "I'd say you were. Though it was that a part of you had become broken,"

Daryl nodded in understanding, "I should stay away from strong electromagnets,"

Joyce nodded in agreement, "Yes. I just wonder what is too strong for you,"

Daryl raised an eyebrow, "How common are electromagnets?"

"I think they're used in a lot of things. Your dad might have a better answer," Joyce replied, driving out of the parking lot, and back on to the free way.


	22. Returning Home & Leaning for Washington

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Returning Home & Leaning for Washington

The trip out of the outskirts of the city took sometime, but soon Daryl and Joyce arrived home in Barkenton. They found Andy's station-wagon in the driveway.

"Dad's home," Daryl said softly.

Joyce nodded, pulling into the driveway, behind the station-wagon, and turning off the car's engine, "I see,"

Andy was opening the front door, and stepped on the front porch, "Oh, there you are!"

Daryl was quickly unbuckling his seatbelt, "Dad!" then he opened the door.

Joyce nodded, as she started unbuckling her seatbelt, "Go tell him what we've been up to,"

Daryl nodded, getting out of the car, "Hi there, Dad,"

Andy came down the steps, "Where have you two been?"

Joyce was getting out of the car, then closed the driver's door, "We made a stop at the mall, to get Daryl some dress clothes,"

Andy raised an eyebrow, "Oh? What for?"

Joyce frowned at Andy, coming around and stopping at the back of the car, "For the meetings in Washington,"

Andy nodded, understanding, "Where did you go?"

"We went to the suit rental place,". She said, opening the hatch-back and pulling out the suit, "Here it is,"

Andy came around the other side of the car, and joined Joyce, "Well, that was fast,"

Joyce nodded, "Yes, we got lucky, it would seem,"

Andy nodded, "It took me a week to get my suit, remember,"

"I do," Joyce replied.

Daryl had joined the adults at the back of the car.

Joyce glanced around Andy to Daryl, "Daryl, why don't you take this inside and really try it on. OK?"

"OK," Daryl said as he took the suit from Joyce's hand, and walked inside the house.

Joyce smiled after Daryl, then turned to Andy, "How was your day, after the events earlier?"

Andy shrugged, "It was alright. What happened after I left? How'd the scan go?"

Joyce nodded, "Oh, things were fine, but now his secret is kind of out,"

Andy came forward and put his hands on Joyce' shoulder's, "What does that mean?"

Joyce sighed, "The doctor from emergency and a technician was in the room when the picture came up on the screen,"

"Oh boy," was all Andy said.

Joyce nodded, "They seemed to take it surprisingly well, actually,"

Andy raised an eyebrow, "That's not what I was wondering about. But come in first,"

Joyce nodded, continuing into the house where she then explained about the new security rules Dr. Lamb had told her about.

Andy didn't look impressed, "So now we have to figure out who won't squeal to the wrong people, do we?"

Joyce shook her head, "I'd stick with gut feeling. But maybe I'd just be trying to use maternal-intuition, or something like it,"

Andy nodded uncertainly, "OK,"

Joyce frowned at Andy, "Andrew, thinking about things again, maybe we should have seen this as a possibility?"

Andy nodded, sitting down on the piano bench, backwards, "So, I guess that's what we'll have to do than,"

Joyce nodded, "It looks like it,"

Daryl could be heard coming down the stairs.

Joyce turned at the sound, seeing Daryl at the bottom of the stairs she smiled, "You look great, Daryl!"

Daryl beamed, "Thank you, Mom. I'm glad I got it on the right way,"

Andy nodded, "Yeah. You look great in that. I hope it helps,"

Daryl nodded, "Thank you, Dad,"

Joyce turned for the kitchen, "It's probably time I started supper,"

Andy got up, "Need help?"

Joyce shook her head, "Not really. But you can if you want,"

"Want me to get the suit off?" Daryl asked.

"Sure, Daryl," Joyce said, "It looks great on you, but we want to keep it clean,"

Daryl went back up stairs while Joyce and Andy went to the kitchen.

* * *

Dr. Lamb returned to the airbase, with the equipment she had brought with her to the hospital.

The guard stepped out of the gatehouse, "Your identification, Ma'am?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, and retrieved her TASCOM ID badge from her purse, "Here you are,"

"Thank you ma'am. You may proceed," he said, and handed back her ID before returning to the gatehouse.

Dr. Lamb drove through the gate then dropped off the car in the carpool lot, and was soon on the plane back to TASCOM.

General Graycliffe was standing on the tarmac, leaning against the nearest front fender of a government car, when the jet Dr. Lamb was on came in to taxi after landing. He stood there with his arms crossed.

Dr. Lamb was surprised to see General Graycliffe waiting for her, "Gentlemen, please take my things off the plane, and leave them on the tarmac. I'll get them when I'm ready,"

The captain nodded, "Yes, ma'am,"

Dr. Lamb quickly got off the plane, and headed for General Graycliffe, "Sir? What are you doing here?"

General Graycliffe stood up straight, "Doctor, something has come up,"

Dr. Lamb frowned, picking up the large case that she had taken with her, "Sir? What has happened?"

General Graycliffe walked around the car and opened the passenger side door to the front seat, "Get in, and I'll explain,"

Dr. Lamb looked surprised, getting the case into the back-seat, "I drove myself here in my own car, sir,"

General Graycliffe nodded, "I'm aware of that. Your personal vehicle has been taken care of,"

"Where is it?" Dr. Lamb asked, following General Graycliffe around the car.

"Back at your apartment," General Graycliffe said, waiting for Dr. Lamb to get in.

Dr. Lamb started getting into the car, "What's going on, sir?"

"In a moment, doctor," General Graycliffe said.

Dr. Lamb got herself into the car, and started buckling her seat belt.

General Graycliffe closed the door, then quickly got himself into the car.

"Sir?" Dr. Lamb prompted, closing her door.

"In short, Ellen, the pols are getting cold feet about the D.A.R.Y.L. ever having been created," General Graycliffe said sourly, continuing gently, "The _boy_ was yours and Dr. Stewart's. It could be argued, however, that the hardware you implanted in him belongs to the American taxpayer, and therefore there are people who would like nothing better than to see a halt put to things. That includes the creation of the second, _adult_ prototype,"

Dr. Lamb frowned, "Don't they realize how important those developments we've made are?"

General Graycliffe shook his head, as he closed the door of the car, "They may be important to you doctor, but some of the people who last voted to fund this project are no longer members of the Congressional Armed Services Committee. Some are no longer in the House or Senate, even. They got turfed in the election last year,"

Dr. Lamb shook her head, almost holding it in her hands, "Oh, _no!_"

General Graycliffe nodded, understanding how Dr. Lamb was feeling, but unable to do anything about it. He buckled his seat belt, as he explained, "Once reports about the D.A.R.Y.L.'s development of sentience got out, they got spooked. And I don't refer to your idea about using such a system for allegedly-human intelligence gathering, either," he said sardonically.

Dr. Lamb nodded her reluctant understanding, "What are we going to tell the Richardsons?"

General Graycliffe shook his head, "I don't know, Doctor. You have come to know them better than anyone, haven't you? If so, than I think I'm going to leave that in your hands,"

Dr. Lamb turned to General Graycliffe, almost begging, "Sir, _please_ don't. I have _no idea_ what this news would do to them,"

General Graycliffe frowned, "You knew this might happen, doctor. Now, you know them best. I only met with them that one evening. You were just there with them a couple of hours ago. To tell you the truth, once people of have met with them, this whole crisis might blow over. But it would be better if they knew they were going into a potentially hostile situation, regarding Daryl,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I'll let them know,"

General Graycliffe nodded with relief, "Thank you. It may be nothing, once the members of the Armed Services Committees have met the boy and his adoptive parent's,"

Dr. Lamb nodded again, "I hope so,"

General Graycliffe hid his feelings from Dr. Lamb, but he agreed with her on this.

Dr. Lamb watched the world go by, as General Graycliffe drove through the base residential area, "Here we are!"

General Graycliffe pulled the car over to the side of the road and stopped in front of the low-rise apartment building, "Doctor, try not to worry about the boy. We'll do what we can for him. Speaking personally, I believe we have a responsibility to make sure he's looked after. We did this to him, after all. I will do what I can, I promise,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, not quite able to look at General Graycliffe, as she opened the door, "Thank you, sir,"

"Not at all, doctor," General Graycliffe said, "But I can't promise the final outcome,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, understanding.

"Please, doctor, try not to worry. Do the best you can to be prepared for the Washington meeting," General Graycliffe said.

"I will sir," Dr. Lamb said.

General Graycliffe and Dr. Lamb than said their good-byes, and Dr. Lamb headed for her apartment.

* * *

The next day, Daryl returned to school, much to the surprise of everybody who had been on the field trip, or heard about what had happened on the field trip.

"Daryl's alive!?" Trudi squealed.

Turtle nodded, pointing to Daryl, "Looks like it,"

"How'd that happen!?" Andrea asked.

"It's a long, story, and you wouldn't believe me if I told you," Daryl said. Besides, this was how Daryl, Joyce and Andy had decided to explain things, by not really explaining things.

Mr. Nesbitt was holding a letter that Daryl had handed him on entering the class, "What is this Daryl? You and your family are going to Washington D.C. for next week?"

Daryl turned to the front of the class, and nodded, "Yes, sir, we are,"

Mr. Nesbitt nodded, "Alright, Daryl. I'll let you know at the end of today the work I expect you to do while you're away,"

Daryl nodded, understanding.

Turtle looked at Daryl oddly, "But you're gonna be busy there, aren't you?"

Daryl glanced to Turtle, and nodded, but said nothing.

Turtle figured he wasn't going to be getting a straight answer from Daryl right now. He decided to wait.

Mr. Nesbitt got started with the first lesson of the day.

Daryl got out the mathematics textbook, opened his binder, and waited quietly for Mr. Nesbitt too hand out the sheet of paper with questions on it.

Turtle was taking notes from the blackboard.

Daryl noticed Turtle's activity and started taking notes as well. He didn't need to be told a second time.

Kids in the class occasionally glanced at him nervously. They didn't know what to make of Daryl's return, seemingly from the dead. None of them had understood Sherie-Lee's actions, they largely remembered Daryl's collapse. But soon children ignored Daryl's return, much as they had when Daryl returned a week ago.

* * *

Joyce was busy packing, between piano student visits. She packed a tie for Daryl, from among Andy's. She packed a week's worth of clothes for the three of them. She put the suits in a garment bag, along with a couple of dresses for her.

* * *

Daryl and Turtle were sitting at the lunch table in the school's cafeteria.

Turtle leaned in close to Daryl, "Now, do you think the others are believing what we've told them?"

Daryl shrugged, "I don't know. Do you think they're believing our story?"

Turtle nodded, "They're leaving you alone about it, aren't they?"

Daryl nodded.

Turtle grinned, "Then things are working!"

Daryl smiled, "Yes, I guess they are,"

The rest of the day went without incident.

* * *

Joyce pulled up in front of the school that afternoon, as usual.

"Hi, boys!" Joyce called cheerfully.

Daryl and Turtle ran toward Joyce's car.

"Are we ready to go?" Daryl asked.

Turtle glanced at Daryl, "When are you going?"

Joyce nodded as she put her finger to her lips, turning to Turtle, "Tonight,"

Turtle looked embarrassed, "Oh, OK,"

Joyce smiled, as she opened the nearest door to the back seat of her hatchback, "Thank you, Turtle. That's how it needs to be,"

Turtle nodded, understanding.

Daryl quickly got into the car. Turtle followed Daryl into the back seat, and Joyce closed the door.

Turtle started doing up his seatbelt, along with Daryl, as Joyce came around and got into the driver's seat.

Joyce closed her door once she was in the car.

"Now can you tell me what's going on in Washington?" Turtle pleaded, once his seatbelt was done up.

Joyce shook her head.

Turtle slumped back in his seat.

Daryl looked out the car window impassively.

Joyce started the car, and drove away, taking the boys home.

Turtle looked out the other window.

Joyce drove home.

Turtle quickly got himself out of the car, "Well, I guess you have other things to do right now,"

Daryl got himself out of the car, from the opposite side.

Joyce nodded, looking back over her shoulder as Turtle got out, "We'll see you in a week, Turtle,"

Turtle nodded, "Alright. Bye, Mrs. Richardson,"

Daryl waited for Joyce, before heading across the lawn to the front door.

Joyce came up, unlocked and opened the door, "Go in, I have most of your stuff packed already,"

Daryl nodded, and entered the house, "When do we go?"

"As soon as Andy comes home, we'll be going," Joyce said.

"OK. I'm going up to my room then, until dad comes home," Daryl said, heading for the stairs.

Andy returned home about a half-hour later.

"Is Daryl ready to go?" Andy asked Joyce, as he closed the door.

Joyce nodded.

"Alright, I'll just go up and change into other clothes. This has stuff from the development-site all over it," Andy said.

Joyce nodded, "Daryl's up in his room,"

Andy headed upstairs, "Daryl!"

"Yes, Dad?" Daryl asked, opening his door.

"Ready to go?" Andy asked.

Daryl nodded, "Yes,"

Andy smiled, heading for their bedroom, "Good, I'll be ready soon myself,"

Daryl headed for the stairs, "OK, Dad,"

Andy entered the bedroom, and closed the door.

Daryl headed downstairs.

Joyce met Daryl at the bottom of the stairs, "Ready?"

"Yes, mom," Daryl said, "Dad's in your room,"

Joyce nodded, "He'll be down shortly,"

Daryl took hold of a suitcase, "Want me to take this out?"

Joyce nodded, "Certainly, that would be a great help,"

Joyce took another suitcase, and followed Daryl out to the car.

"Your car, or Dad's?" Daryl asked.

"Dad's car," Joyce said.

Daryl opened the front door, "OK," and headed Andy's station-wagon, parked in the driveway.

Joyce quickly joined Daryl by the car, "I think you'll find it's locked, Daryl,"

Daryl tried opening the passenger side door to the back-seat, and nodded, "Yes, it is,"

Joyce nodded, "Dad won't be long,"

"Joyce, come back in here and help me with the bags, will ya?" Andy called from inside the house.

"Oh," Joyce said to Daryl, "I'll be back," Joyce headed back toward the house, "Coming, Andy!"

Daryl leaned against the side of the car by the back-seat door, to wait.

Joyce entered the house, coming back out a few moments later, carrying a suit case by each hand.

Daryl quickly stood up straight, and came to Joyce, "Oh, do you need any help?"

Joyce shook her head, "No, I'll be alright,"

"I've just never seen you carry something that big and bulky before," Daryl said.

"Daryl," Joyce said, trying not to sound too frustrated with him, "It's only a piece of luggage,"

"Oh, sorry," Daryl said.

Joyce nodded, understanding, "It's alright. I guess you've not seen luggage before today,"

Daryl shook his head, "No, I haven't. I'm sure I'd remember,"

Joyce nodded, "Now I need to wait for your dad to come out with the other pieces of luggage, and he can get the car open,"

Andy, as if on cue, came out the front door, with another suit-case and the garment bag. He set them down and locked the house. He turned and started across the lawn, with a bag in each hand, "Waiting for me?"

Joyce nodded.

Andy got the car unlocked, and opened the back, "OK, let's get things in,"

Joyce brought the suit-case she had brought out with her, around to the back of the car and got it in.

"Daryl, can you get the garment bag?" Andy asked.

Daryl eagerly got the garment bag from the side of the driveway, and brought it to Andy.

"OK, Daryl, get it in beside this suitcase," Andy instructed.

Daryl picked up the bottom with his free and and laid it down flat beside the suit case that as already in the back.

Andy corrected, with understanding, "No, not quite, Daryl. But a good try. Hold it up, so the bottom of it is resting on the floor of the car. Right now it's on it's side. OK?"

Daryl nodded, and pushed the garment bag upright, "There"

Andy nodded, "Perfect," turns to Joyce, "OK, Joyce, bring the last one,"

Joyce came over, carrying the other suitcase, "Here we are," she said as she lifted it into the back, sandwiching the garment bag in between it and the other suitcase.

"Daryl, you can get in the car," Andy said, pointing around to the side of the car Daryl was closest to.

"OK," Daryl nodded, going to where Andy pointed, and opened the back door, and got into the car, and started doing up his seatbelt.

Andy closed the back of the car.

Joyce closed Daryl's door, as she came up the passenger-side of the car. Joyce opened the front passenger side door, and got in the car.

Andy came up the opposite side of the car and got in the driver's seat, "Well, let's get going…"

Joyce nodded, "Maybe we can take time and help Daryl with some social studies… Take him to some of the public buildings and stuff. I doubt we'll be in the Congressional Chamber for the meetings, but maybe we could go on a public tour…,"

Andy nods, buckled his seat belt, and started the car, "Good plan. What do you think, Daryl?"

"Sure, Dad," Daryl replied, "Sounds good,"

"That's settled, then. When we get into the hotel, we'll see about that," Joyce said.

Andy backed out of the driveway, and headed down the street.

"Washington, D.C., here we come!" Joyce said.

Andy nods dumbly, not quite sure where that came from.

"Why do we have to warn it we're coming?" Daryl asked.

Joyce sighed, "Oh, Daryl, I'm sorry. I forgot you can be quite literal sometimes,"

"It's OK, mom," Daryl said.

Soon they were entering the airport, and heading for the long-term parking area.

Andy found a spot and parked there, and got out, "Let's go...,"

Daryl got his door open, and started getting out of the car,"Want me to carry anything?"

Joyce nodded, as she got her door open, "That would be a good idea Daryl, thank you, but stick with us around here, OK?"

Daryl nodded, closing the door, "OK, Mom, I just need to know where to go," he headed for the back of the car.

Andy joined Daryl at the back of the car, and got the tailgate open, "Well, Daryl, you can take one of the suitcases with you, OK?"

Daryl nodded, grabbing the handle of the nearest suitcase, "I've got this one,"

"I see," Joyce said, coming up behind Daryl.

Daryl turned, "Where do I go from here, Mom?" Daryl asked, looking up at Joyce.

Joyce put up a finger, "Wait here," and walked around Daryl, and retrieved the other suit case, she turned back to Daryl, pointing at Andy, "We'll let him carry the garment bag,"

Andy sighed, grabbing the hand;e on top of the garment bag, and hauling it out, "Let's go then,"

Joyce nodded, "Follow us, Daryl,"

Daryl nodded, "Yes, Mom,"

Joyce walked in the direction of the terminal building.

Daryl followed Joyce, and Andy followed from behind.

Joyce lead the three of them through an automatic sliding door, and looked for the National Flights area of the terminal, she pointed up at the sign, "Ah, this way,"

Andy nodded to Joyce, "OK, Daryl, follow mom,"

Daryl followed Joyce to the check-in counter for National Flights

"Hello, Ma'am," The check-in lady said, "May I see your tickets?"

Joyce opened her purse and pulled out three tickets, which had been couriered to the house about noon.

The check-in lady took the tickets, reading off the names, "Joyce Richardson, Andrew Richardson, and Daryl Richardson?"

Joyce, Andy and Daryl nodded.

The check-in lady handed them their boarding passes, giving Daryl's to Joyce.

Andy put the bags on the conveyor belt next to the check-in desk.

Daryl helped Andy with the bags.

"Thanks, Daryl," Andy said.

Daryl nodded.

The check-in lady pointed down the counter, "You can go that way, to the end of this counter and turn left, to get to the security check closest to your gate,"

Joyce, Andy and Daryl nodded.

"There are also shops and other services on the other side of the security check," The check-in lady said.

Andy led the way down the counter, passing lines at other check-in desks.

Joyce and Daryl followed Andy around the end of the counter, and into a large hall containing the security check lines.

There was a group of people waiting for Daryl and his adoptive parent's on this side of the security check, by one wall.

"Mr. And Mrs. Richardson!? Daryl!?" a recognized voice called.

Joyce, Andy and Daryl turned at the voice, "_Doctor Lamb!?_" Joyce replied in surprise.

Dr. Lamb quickly came over with two men wearing Airport Security uniforms.

"What's going, doctor?" Andy asked, looking at the men with Dr. Lamb nervously.

The security men stood with Dr. Lamb, making no threatening moves.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I can't go into detail, but your son going through airport security might cause more trouble for you, than if we bypassed that process. I have cleared you through already,"

Joyce and Andy nodded, "That sounds great," Joyce said somewhat darkly, "Why didn't you mention it before?"

Dr. Lamb frowned at Joyce, "Things are a bit rushed, Mrs. Richardson. I will explain it all later,"

Joyce relented in her attempt to question Dr. Lamb.

"Please," one of the security men said, "Come with us,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "This is all supposed to help, Mr. And Mrs. Richardson, I promise,"

Joyce and Andy nodded, followed by Daryl.

The security men led the way to an unmarked door. One of them unlocked and opened it, holding the door open until the others had entered. They were in a narrow hallway that went left and right, "This way, please," he said, leading the group to the right, after locking the door again, from the inside.

In this hallway, the sounds of jet engines became more noticeable.

"What about our boarding passes?" Joyce asked, looking in turn, to Dr. Lamb and the two security men.

"You won't be needing those, Mrs. Richardson," Dr. Lamb said, stopping and holding her hand out.

Andy put his hand out in front of the boarding passes, as Joyce was about to hand them to Dr. Lamb, "Now we're in private, can someone tell me what's going on?"

Dr. Lamb glanced at the airport security men, "What I _can_ tell you, Mr. Richardson, is that you won't be taking the flight for which you have tickets. They were just to get you here within a specific time-frame," Dr. Lamb said, "We have a jet waiting for you, your wife and Daryl. I will tell you all more when we get on the plane. Now is that enough?"

Andy nodded to Dr. Lamb, and lowered his hand.

Dr. Lamb took Joyce' and Daryl's boarding passes, then turn to Andy, "Mr. Richardson, if you please?"

Andy handed over his boarding pass.

Dr. Lamb nodded at Andy, "Thank you,"

One of the security men turned to Dr. Lamb, "Are we ready to go ma'am?"

Dr. Lamb nodded to the security officer, "Yes, let's go,"

The security men lead them down the hall to a set of stairs going down, the noise increasing.

At the top of the steps, Joyce quickly put a hand on Dr. Lamb shoulder. Getting somewhat cross, Joyce bellowed over the noise,, "What about our luggage!?"

The first guard stopped at the bottom of the stairs, not expecting the interruption.

Dr. Lamb almost waved the question away, hollering back, over the noise, "It's being taken care of!"

Joyce glowered, "It had better be! We have a rented suit for Daryl, we're bringing with us!"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I understand!" and she started down the stair way in front of them.

Joyce, Andy, and Daryl followed behind.

The group was followed down the stairs by the second guard.

The first guard leaned in to speak with Dr. Lamb, "Is everything all right, doctor?"

Dr. Lamb nodded.

The first guard nodded back, and held open the door at the bottom of the stairs. The sonic assault from the airport apron was unrelenting.

Daryl covered his ears, "This is worse than the airbase!"

Dr. Lamb nodded, reading Daryl's lips, and the uncomfortable expression on his face.

The security guard beckoned them forward.

The group slowly walked out on to the airport tarmac.

The security guard pointed to a brightly painted station-wagon with a beacon light rotating on it's roof, the nearest door to the back seat was open.

The four of them nodded silently, and scramble for the car.

Joyce pushed Daryl in first, then climbs in the back. She is quickly followed by Andy and Dr. Lamb.

"No seat belts!" Daryl exclaimed, having trouble finding both ends. There were only three in the back.

Joyce shook her head at Daryl, expecting that the car ride won't be long.

One of the security guards closed the door. The driver was wearing ear-protectors, but was also wearing a security uniform, under an orange-and-yellow striped safety vest. The ear protectors also doubled as a radio headset, since there was a coiled cable running from one of the ear-protectors to an under-dash two-way radio set, as well as a microphone projecting from the front of the same ear-protector. The driver accelerated the car away from the building, under the wings of a pair of commercial passenger jets. The jets engine's were not running.

The passengers, squished together in the back of the car, looked out through the front windscreen.

Dr. Lamb tapped on the driver's shoulder, and pointed out the front window toward a waiting executive jet, on the far side of the apron.

The driver looked in the rear-view mirror, speculatively pointing through the window to the jet.

Dr. Lamb nodded

The driver nodded in reply, understanding Dr. Lamb's hand signal. The hand he had been pointing with returned to the steering-wheel.

Dr. Lamb glanced over her shoulder, and looked in the back. She saw some luggage there. Dr. Lamb tapped Joyce on the shoulder, and pointed to the back of the car.

Joyce turned and looked in the back, seeing their luggage, she then turned back to Dr. Lamb and nodded.

"I told you!" Dr. Lamb called to Joyce, over the noise coming from outside the car.

Joyce nodded again.

Soon the car pulled up close to the steps of the executive jet. There were two men in army casual-dress uniforms standing at the bottom of the steps. Most of the noise now came from the executive jet's idling turbo-fan engines.

Dr. Lamb quickly opened the door, and got out of the car, "Ready to go, gentlemen?"

The army captain nodded, hollering, "Yes, Doctor. All we need is taxiing-clearance from the tower!" he points back up at the terminal building, where the airport's control tower projected up from the middle of the terminal building's apron-side.

Dr. Lamb followed his finger with her gaze, then turned back to the captain and nodded, "We can get on the plane, can't we?"

The captain nodded, opening the back of the station-wagon, "Yes! But I see you have some luggage with you!"

Dr. Lamb nodded, following the captain, "Yes, we do!"

The captain got out the two of the three suitcases, "Can you carry the other suitcase, doctor? If you please?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, and grabbed the third suitcase.

The captain headed for the steps that led up into the passenger cabin.

Dr. Lamb followed close behind.

The captain entered the plane and set down the suitcases, "Where do you want these?"

"In the back," Dr. Lamb said, "please,"

The caption nodded, and headed down the aisle of the the plane, depositing the suitcases in seats in the rear of the cabin.

Dr. Lamb looked out the window, and saw Joyce and Andy carrying the garment bag, and the third suitcase, "Here they come,"

Daryl walked between Joyce and Andy.

Joyce came into the plane and set the suitcase down in the front.

The captain returned from the back, picking up the suitcase, "I'll take that,"

Dr. Lamb turned to Joyce, "Please, take a seat,"

Joyce sat down in one of the seats that were on either side of a small table, "This was the plane we took to get to TASCOM, wasn't it?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, joining Joyce and sitting down across from her, "Yes, you might say TASCOM has it as an indefinite charter,"

"You want to start explaining about all of this?" Joyce said, waving her hand around lazily.

Dr. Lamb put her hand over Joyce's, trying to reassure her, "Let's wait until we're in the air. Then I can tell all of you,"

Joyce nodded, and sat back in the seat.

Daryl and Andy joined Dr. Lamb and Joyce at the table.

The pilot came out of the cockpit, and pulled up the steps, "Everything's ready to go, sir,"

The captain nodded, "Very well," and followed the pilot back into the cockpit, closing the door behind him.

Soon the engines sped up and the plane headed for the taxiway.

"Doctor!" Andy called, over the sound of the shrieking turbofan engines, "Maybe now you can tell us what's going on?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, understanding, "We felt you needed to be prepared for the meetings we're going to be having, they may fill the entire coming week. Things aren't as rosy as we had hoped they would be,"

Joyce tensed, almost involuntarily, "What on Earth is the matter?"

Dr. Lamb put her hand out to Joyce, in an attempt to reassure her, "We are going to do what ever we can, Mrs. Richardson, I promise you that. We, at TASCOM, have a responsibility to make sure the boy is looked after. After all we've done to him,"

Andy nodded in agreement with that, certainly, "What can we do?"

Dr. Lamb explained, "Make it clear to the elected politicians making the choices what the wrong choice would mean for you,"

Joyce shrugged, uncertain of what Dr. Lamb expected them to be able to do, "Were we in a position to have voted for any of them?"

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "I don't think so, but that doesn't mean they won't listen to you, now does it? If they make a certain choice you may choose to punish their local senator or member of the House in your area, they will listen to you in the hopes you would vote for their party's candidate,"

Joyce nodded, "I see,"

Dr. Lamb smiled a little, "Good,"

Andy sat forward, "How should we approach the meeting? Wailing and gnashing of teeth over the possibility of losing Daryl?"

Daryl turned to Andy, "Lose me?"

"We aren't losing Daryl, are we?" Joyce asked, suddenly shocked.

Dr. Lamb paused for a moment, "It seems some politicians are getting jittery about the D.A.R.Y.L. Project. They want to permanently pull the funding,"

"But," Joyce stammered, "Daryl could die! Wouldn't he!?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, gulping at Joyce's forthrightness, "Eventually,"

"Eventually!?" Andy exclaimed, "What do you mean!?"

"It would be the way Daryl was on the first day back with you, but it would get worse," Dr. Lamb said.

Joyce looked stricken, "He'd start calling me Joyce again?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Then some time later, he would start calling you Mr. And Mrs. Richardson, and soon after that he wouldn't know you. I'm sorry, but it all depends on how long it takes for things to deteriorate, eventually his heart and lungs would stop,"

Joyce hugged Daryl around the shoulders, "How long would we have before they did this to him?"

Dr. Lamb didn't answer for a moment than softly blurted out, "Probably only a few days after the decision is made. General Graycliffe shut the main computer down in a matter of minutes," she continued, "It's more a matter of: How long would Daryl function without the main compute?"

"And how long would that be!?" Joyce asked, too distressed by what she was hearing to think straight.

Dr. Lamb sighed, "A couple of days, at most it could be half a week,"

Joyce sat back in her seat, "What do we have to do?"

"We have to persuade people to keep funding the project. It's about two million dollars a year," Dr. Lamb stated.

"Well, for the Feds that shouldn't seem like much?" Andy said, "That's almost like a rounding error in their accounting, isn't it?"

Dr. Lamb frowned, "As a private business owner, you're not a big fan of government, are you, Mr. Richardson?"

Andy sat back, and sighed, "It's good for some things, and bad at others. I'm sorry, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "Oh no, it's quite alright,"

Andy smiled, "Thanks, it certainly not you and your people I'm thinking of, at least not now," he said, glancing at Daryl.

"I understand you may have wondered why we were doing such things?" Dr. Lamb enquired.

"Oh, sure," Andy said, turning back to Dr. Lamb, "Trying to be objective, it seems like things could have been a huge money pit,"

Dr. Lamb frowned, "I hope we went in with a better understanding of what we were doing than that would imply!"

Andy shrugged, "I suppose I'm thinking of things from the layman's perspective. I wouldn't understand what you were doing, so it would have seemed a waste. Also, did things always work the first time?"

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "Of course not,"

Andy nodded back, "That's also kind of what I thought,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "We were breaking new ground in terms of artificial intelligence,"

Joyce nodded, understanding, "All of that sounds great for you, but what is going to happen with Daryl?"

"Yes, doctor, what's going to happen to me?" Daryl asked.

Dr. Lamb turned to Daryl, "Daryl, none of these people have _really_ met you, so you don't really matter to them. I'm very sorry to be putting you in this position. You were supposed to simply be a piece of military hardware that was in development, which they could dispose of, if they wanted,"

Joyce stared at Dr. Lamb, "What do _you_ think of that? You were his _mother_, for goodness-sake!"

"I don't like it at all, but that's the situation we're going into," Dr. Lamb said, almost returning Joyce' stare.

Joyce, Andy, and Daryl nodded.

"Do you think I will be able to persuade them that I'm alive, by simply being there?" Daryl asked.

"Possibly, Daryl," Dr. Lamb said, "Though they will know your brain is a machine,"

"So he'll be going in with one strike against him already?" Joyce asked.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Yes, that's true,"

"Is there any way we could make it so they don't know that _this_ is _the_ D.A.R.Y.L.?" Andy asked, indicating Daryl, with a wave of his hand in Daryl's direction.

"Let them meet Daryl as you did when Mr. Fox brought him over to your house the first time?" Dr. Lamb enquired uncertainly.

Andy nodded.

Dr. Lamb shook her head, evidently disappointed, "They've been shown too much, they know what he looks like,"

"What have they seen?" Joyce asked.

"We have security cameras around TASCOM, one of those is in Daryl's quarters, and they saw your reunion with him," Dr. Lamb said, "For example,"

Joyce frowned, "I hope you turn it off at certain times, like when his changing clothes,"

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "That sounds reasonable, but we didn't. In fact, in the dark it uses infra-red,"

"It was watching him all the time!?" Joyce asked, incredulous.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I know how it sounds, but remember, he was the main subject in an artificial intelligence experiment,"

Joyce simply nodded, then said, "Once things start looking-up, they take another dive,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I can see how it seems that way,"

Joyce shook her head in disbelief, "OK,"

They were quiet, in their own thoughts, for the rest of the trip.


	23. Daryl Goes To Washington

D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

* * *

Daryl Goes To Washington

The plane landed, and Daryl and the Richardsons stood up, "Let's go, Daryl," Joyce said.

There was a government car waiting for them, which the plane pulled up beside.

Dr. Lamb quickly stood up, "Mrs. Richardson, we're at Andrews Air Force Base. You need to stay with me. I'll be taking you to a place to stay,"

"A hotel?" Joyce asked.

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "No, a safe-house,"

Andy stepped forward, "A safe-house!? What's going on?"

"Security, Mr. Richardson," Dr. Lamb said simply, trying to make it clear there was no negotiation about this.

Andy caught Dr. Lamb's tone, and relented, "But you will explain it, won't you?"

"It should be easy to guess, but if you need it explained, than certainly I will," Dr. Lamb said.

Andy, followed by Joyce, nodded.

Dr. Lamb turned to the back of the cabin, and got her luggage, "When we're there, I'll explain everything to you,"

Andy and Joyce each collected a suit case and the garment bag, "Daryl, get the other suitcase, please," Joyce said, turning to him.

"OK, Mom," Daryl said, as he quickly got the other suitcase that the Richardson's had packed.

Dr. Lamb led the Richardson's and Daryl off the plane.

There was a army captain waiting by the car, "Dr. Lamb?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, heading toward the car, "Yes, captain?"

"Dr, I have been assigned to meet you, and your companions. I have been assigned to take you to the chosen location," The captain opened the door to the back-seat and the passenger side door to the front-seat.

Dr. Lamb got into the front passenger seat.

The Richardson's and Daryl got into the back, with Daryl in the middle.

The captain closed the doors on the passenger side of the car, then got in and drove off.

The trip to the safe house took about ten minutes.

"Here we are," Dr. Lamb announced, getting out of the front passenger door, and opening the back-seat door on that side.

The Richardsons clambered out of the car.

Joyce looked at the place they had pulled up in front of, "It's not bad,"

Dr. Lamb smiles, "Well, we try our best,"

Andy nodded, overhearing the women talk, "We should probably get our stuff inside,"

The government driver opened his door, and started to get out, "Would you like a hand with things?"

Dr. Lamb nodded to the driver, "Thank you,"

The driver nodded, heading for the back, and opening the tailgate, "No problem, ma'am,"

Dr. Lamb got her suitcase out, "I'll carry mine,"

The others, except for Daryl, all nodded.

Daryl walked to the back of the car and got his suitcase, "This is mine. I'll take it,"

The driver nodded, "All right, young man,"

Daryl nodded to the driver, and started carrying his bag up the front lawn.

Joyce and Andy each took one of their bags.

Dr. Lamb turned back to the driver, "It looks like we didn't need your help, but thank you for the offer,"

The driver nodded, then closed the tailgate, the open passenger doors, and got into the car, and drove off.

Dr. Lamb retrieved a key from her a pocket in her pants, and unlocked the door, "We have this place to ourselves for the week, or however long the meetings take, and however long your presence in Washington is required,"

Andy turned to Dr. Lamb quickly, "You mean we may be here for _more_ than a week!?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Possibly, it all depends how things go. I'm sorry, I truly am,"

Joyce frowned, "We told the school we were going to be away for a week, a family emergency…,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, understanding, "Well, I told you what I expect it to be,"

Joyce and Andy nodded, "OK…,"

Daryl watched the interaction between the grown-ups in silence.

Dr. Lamb pointed up stairs, "Mr. and Mrs. Richardson, you can have the master bedroom, there's a room at the top of the stairs for Daryl, and I'll take the third bedroom, at the end of the hall,"

Daryl, Joyce and Andy picked up their suitcases, "OK," they said together.

Joyce and Andy each took a suitcase, leaving the garment bag at the bottom, "Me and Joyce will get the garment bag after we get these upstairs," Andy said.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "OK,"

Daryl headed up the stairs to the room Dr. Lamb had mentioned.

* * *

On the Saturday, Daryl went exploring around inside the safe-house. Daryl found a box of things in the basement. Baseball things.

Daryl quickly walked upstairs, "Dad, I found some baseball equipment down stairs,"

The grown-ups were discussing the events of the coming week, sitting around the breakfast table in the kitchen.

Andy turned to Daryl, "Are you sure you need practise?"

Dr. Lamb and Joyce turned to Daryl as well, "Yeah, Daryl, you've never seemed to need practise before," Joyce said.

"I want to practise making my batting swings more random," Daryl tried to explain, only Dr. Lamb didn't look confused.

"You want to practise _failing_ to hit the ball?" Andy asked, looking perplexed.

Daryl nodded, "Something like that, Dad,"

Dr. Lamb nodded to Daryl, "That sounds like a very intriguing idea, Daryl,"

Joyce, and especially Andy looked to Dr. Lamb not understanding.

Dr. Lamb explained, "When he played ball previously, either he had hit the ball every time, or he seemed to intentionally miss the ball every time," Dr. Lamb turned back to Daryl, "Now, it seems you want to try adding an element of chance into your actions when you're at bat?"

Daryl nodded, "Yes, doctor,"

Andy nodded slowly, "Doctor, if Daryl had kept up his perfect batting, people could start asking uncomfortable questions, couldn't they?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Yes, and if Daryl's going to exist outside TASCOM, you know we can't have that happening,"

Andy and Joyce nodded solemnly.

Joyce turned to Daryl, "Can you bring the box up by yourself, Daryl?'"

Daryl nodded, "I think so,"

Joyce nodded, "OK, just call if you need help,"

Daryl turned to leave the kitchen, "I will,"

Joyce watched Daryl leave the room.

Daryl quickly went down to the basement and brought up the box, "Here it is,"

"Oh, "Joyce said, "There's a lot of stuff in there,"

Daryl nodded, putting the box down on the floor, then looking through it's contents, "Two balls, a bat, two mitts, and catcher's protective gear,"

Andy stood up and looked out the back window of the kitchen, "We've got a large back yard here,"

"Did you just want to practise actual batting, and not worrying about base running?", Joyce asked.

Daryl nodded, "I just need to see how realistically I can emulate a batter making mistakes when they hit a ball,"

"What positions do you want us to be?" Andy asked.

"Do you want to be the pitcher, Dad?' Daryl asked, looking up at Andy.

Andy nodded, "Sure, do you want me to send you different pitches?"

Daryl nodded, "Yes, please,"

Andy nodded again, "OK,"

Dr. Lamb raised an eyebrow, "Daryl, what are you thinking?"

"Doctor Lamb, I've been analyzing the swings of the other batters swings. I've also thought about testing my random number generator function," Daryl said.

Andy and Joyce quickly turned to Dr. Lamb, "What's he talking about?"

Dr. Lamb turned to the Richardsons, "Daryl's telling me how he plans to miss the ball when we go out to play shortly,"

Joyce and Andy nodded, "Oh, so that means you won't be always missing or hitting the ball? You'll hit it some times, but not always?" Andy asked, remembering Daryl's two very different times at bat.

Daryl nodded.

"But you will get better at swinging at the ball, won't you?" Joyce asked.

Daryl shrugged, "As if I'm learning? Maybe, but even then, I'll have to make some strikes,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Daryl, you seem to understand how dangerous it would be fir people to learn about your specialness, and you're quite right, it would be dangerous. We can't let the wrong people know about it,"

* * *

Back in Barkenton, Mr. Brian Frost, James Frost's dad, was working in his garage-cum-laboratory, when a video appeared on the screen. It was of the inside of the Richardsons house, and it moved around a lot, as if somebody was walking. One time, the camera showed a dark-haired boy, about James age, maybe a bit younger, brushing his teeth, however there was no camera in sight. The boy was definitely looking in the mirror, though. Where was the camera?

He figured he needed to send some signals, to see what control he could get over the camera.

Some time later, after some experimentation, Brian Frost made an adjustment on his controls. Then he heard recognizable sounds coming from the speaker, sounds of people talking.

"I know those people!" Brian Frost exclaimed.

James Frost made a rare appearance in the garage, "Dad, what's going on here?"

Joyce could be heard on the audio, "Daryl! Supper!"

James Frost's eyebrows rose, "What are you watching, Dad?"

"I'm not sure, son," Brian Frost said slowly.

The video suddenly shifted as the viewpoint moved from the covers of a child's bed, where the point-of-view was watching a TV, to standing up. Daryl's voice could be heard, much more closely, "Coming, Mom!"

James Frost's jaw dropped, "I know him! He's that ridiculously smart kid from school!" James ran over and watched the video intently, "But where is he?"

Brian Frost spoke very slowly, not even sure if he could believe the realization that was coming to him, "Please, son, sit down,"

James Frost frowned at his Dad, but sat down on the lab stool.

"James," Brian Frost paused for a second, "I don't know how, but I think the signals I've been picking up randomly are coming _from_ the boy,"

James Frost shook his head, "But that's crazy, it's an electronic signal. How could an electronic signal be coming from some kid?"

Brian Frost shook his head, "I have no idea, but I have been recording things. Watch this," then he rewound a video tape that had been recording the audio and video. He replayed the picture of Daryl brushing his teeth, "Son, where do you think the camera is? It seems we'd be looking right into it with that bathroom mirror. The angle it's at, relative to the camera and all…,"

James Frost sighed, "Dad, this may be really neat to you, but it's just weird to me,"

Brian Frost nodded, "It's weird to me too, son. But the camera is some how in that boy's head,"

"Dad, that's that smart aleck little brat named Daryl!" James Frost said, suddenly getting up from the stool.

Brain Frost looked surprised at his son, frowning slightly, "You know him?"

James Frost nodded, then quickly sat down again.

Brian caught James so he wouldn't fall off the stool, "Are you all right James?"

James caught his breath, "I can't believe it! But it explains some things, but who would do that?"

Brian shook his head, "I sure wouldn't. I wouldn't even know where to start,"

James frowned, "To me? I hope not! He's a weird kid!"

Brian smiled warmly at James, "No, I love ya just the way you are,"

James smiled, but raised an eyebrow, "Even when I get into lots of trouble at school?"

Brian lost his smile somewhat, "Well, now that's a different matter, but I'm glad you're getting help. I know the past year or two has been hard on you," Brian paused, putting a hand on James' shoulder, "They've been even harder for me, son,"

James Frost nodded slowly, "Even harder than losing mom?-Is that why you're spending so much time in here with this stuff?"

Brian Frost nodded, after a moment of thought, "I suppose, Jamie. That was so long ago, but now I having nothing to do with my time but think, including remembering your mother,"

James Frost looked a little embarrassed at hearing his name as he hadn't heard since he was much younger, "Dad, does it help?"

Brian Frost shook his head, feeling dejected, "No, but I'm trying to make things better,"

James Frost nodded, "OK, Dad,"

* * *

In Washington, the Richardsons, and Dr. Lamb had gotten ready to play ball. Dr. Lamb retrieved the balls that Daryl hit, Joyce caught balls that Daryl missed. Andy pitched.

Andy put a hand up, "Daryl, all I ask is that you try not to hit too many home runs, the back yard isn't that large,"

Daryl nodded, "I'll try not to,"

Andy smiled, "Great,"

The batting practise continued, with Daryl convincingly missing pitches, every few swings, though the number of hits between misses was also random.

Andy nodded, "I never thought I'd say this but you're doing well, missing the ball, Daryl,"

Daryl stood with the bat resting on the ground, his hands one-over-the-other on top of the handle.

Joyce took the chance to stand up and stretch, "This was s good idea Daryl,"

Daryl turned around to Joyce, and letting go of the bat, he embraced her, "Thank you, mom,"

Dr. Lamb stood looking-on from the far end of the backyard, she then joined the others, "This was a very good idea,"

* * *

The Richardson', and Dr. Lamb were picked up by a government van, with shaded windows. The van took them to the government building where the congressional hearing into the D.A.R.Y.L. Project and its unforeseen consequences was to take place. The van was driven into an underground parking lot under an adjoining building. There was a walk through and basement tunnel, then a ride in an elevator up to the marbled public space of the government building.

The Richardson's looked around, as they headed down the hallway with Dr. Lamb to a committee room, where the congress committee was meeting.

Senator Blackman stood up, seeing the civilians enter the room, "Ah, the Richardsons are here,"

Andy held out his hand to the senator, "Andy Richardson. Your name?"

Senator Blackman smiled warmly shaking Andy's hand, "Senator Leonard Blackman, sir," he turned to Joyce, "and you?"

Joyce smiled, "Joyce Richardson, senator,"

Senator Blackman smiled warmly, "Welcome to Washington," then he turned to Daryl, "And this is the young man we have gathered to discuss,"

Daryl glanced at Joyce and Andy nervously, then turned to senator Blackman, "Daryl Richardson,"

"Don't you have another longer name?" Senator Blackman asked Daryl.

Dr. Lamb stepped forward, "Hello, Senator. Daryl's other names, such as the acronym and its expansion can only be accessed through a direct computer connection. He can't say it out-loud,"

Daryl turned to Dr. Lamb, "Doctor, does he mean D.A.R.Y.L. And Data Analysing Robot Youth Lifeform?"

Senator Blackman smiled warmly at Daryl, "Why, yes I did,"

Dr. Lamb frowned, "He wasn't programmed to be able to do that, senator,"

Joyce blushed, "I may have some responsibility for that, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb turned to Joyce, "That _does_ make sense, since my late husband explained these things when you visited TASCOM,"

Joyce nodded, "Sorry, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb shook her head, "You weren't told that little detail about how Daryl is able to identify himself,"

Representative Shaun Mailor joined Senator Blackman, "Hello,"

The Richardsons turned to Representative Mailor, "Hello," Andy said, "You are?"

Representative Mailor introduced himself to the Richardsons.

Dr. Lamb shook the Senator and the Representative's hands, "Are we ready?"

Senator Blackman shook his head, "No, we're waiting for General Graycliffe, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, realizing that Lyford wasn't there yet. It had been such a rush to get to the building on time, she hadn't noticed he was missing.

A few moments later, General Graycliffe strode quickly into the room, in full uniform, and stood ram-rod straight in front of the politicians, "General Graycliffe reporting as requested. I must apologize for my lateness,"

The Senator and the Representative nodded at General Graycliffe, "At ease, General," Senator Blackman said, "Let's get this started,"

The Richardsons, General Graycliffe, and Dr. Lamb took their seats. General Graycliffe removed his cap as he did so.

"Today," Representative Mailor started, "we're here to discuss the continuation of the D.A.R.Y.L. Project. We understand that this young man's life depends on our decision, but we also have to realize that there are many out there who would be just as happy had none of this ever taken place. They would like to see things ended,"

Senator Blackman nodded.

"I'm alive, sir," Daryl said, looking at Representative Mailor.

"So you say," Representative Mailor said, sounding noncommittally unconvinced.

"He is," Dr. Lamb said, then said the same thing she told General Graycliffe when he had discovered that Daryl and Dr. Stewart had escaped, but this time addressing the senator and the congressman.

Representative Mailor turned to Dr. Lamb, "Dr. Lamb, given what the world knows about his personal life, Dr. Allan Turing may not be the best way to prove your point, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb frowned, "I didn't think ones personal life reflected on their professional lives. Certainly not in academia,"

"However, doctor, your debate is almost philosophical. We're trying to be rather more concrete here," Senator Blackman said.

"He's able to love," Dr. Lamb said softly, "I know that isn't of importance to the D.A.R.Y.L. Project, but as Computer Scientist working in artificial intelligence research, that's something important," Dr. Lamb turned to Joyce, who nodded, as Dr. Lamb continued, "He can even express sorrow, in situations where we might expect it to be expressed,"

Joyce nodded again.

Dr. Lamb opened the briefcase she had brought with her to the meeting, "Gentlemen, I have a video tape here showing certain demonstrations of emotion from Daryl's perspective. It's that I'd like you to notice," she pulled out a video tape cassette, and handed it to General Graycliffe, "If you would, sir,"

General Graycliffe nodded, as he stood up and took the video tape, and put it into the video player. The TV above it came on as the video started to play. General Graycliffe returned to his seat.

The first video was from the Hawks-Warriors baseball game, Daryl's point of view, reacting to their team winning the game.

The second clip was from the security camera in Daryl's TASCOM quarters, and then from his own perspective. It showed his reaction to the Richardson's visit, especially his being reunited with Joyce.

The third clip was Daryl's perspective of Dr. Stewart's death, including the image misting over from his tears. They heard Dr. Stewart tell Daryl about his being a "real boy", and they heard Daryl crying as well.

Dr. Lamb took a deep breath, as the third clip came to an end.

Joyce turned to Dr. Lamb, "You alright, doctor?"

"I still need to get used to seeing things," Dr. Lamb said softly to Joyce.

Joyce nodded, placing a hand on Dr. Lamb's shoulder.

Dr. Lamb smiled weakly, "Thank you,"

The forth and final clip was of his reunion with the Richardson's and the Foxes on the front lawn of the Richardson's house. There was the sound of laughing and crying with joy.

It was Joyce's turn to get misty-eyed for a moment.

Then the video stopped.

The politicians were looking at their hands on the table in front of them, unable to look at the Richardson's, or Dr. Lamb.

General Graycliffe cleared his throat, "Well, those were the clips Dr. Lamb asked for,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Thank you sir,"

Senator Blackman looked up, "I'm sorry. We may need to re-evaluate the policy position we were taking, regarding the D.A.R.Y.L. Project, and its expected termination,"

Dr. Lamb nodded slowly, not wanting to push things too much, "Thank you, gentlemen,"

Joyce nodded, "I'm glad to hear that,"

Representative Mailor turned to the Richardson's, "If you would excuse us please, we need to speak in private with Dr. Lamb and the general,"

Andy and Joyce started standing up, "Is Daryl going to live?" Joyce asked.

"Probably, Mrs. Richardson. That is all I can say at this time," Representative Mailor said to Joyce, "Please wait outside,"

Daryl got up between Joyce and Andy, "OK,"

The Richardsons left the room quietly.

General Graycliffe sat back with his hands in his lap, "Doctor, you do remember the request I made of you and your late husband when I ordered you to deactivate Daryl, don't you?"

Dr. Lamb stopped to think, then enquired with a slow nod, "You're still looking for an adult prototype for the A.I. system in the boy?"

General Graycliffe nodded back, "Yes, doctor. I believe we discussed how things might work, and you seemed to get started on it, if I'm not mistaken,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Yes, I'm working on the software for the biological sector side of the system right now. The mainframe side of the system was completed some time ago,"

The Representative and the Senator looked from Dr. Lamb to General Graycliffe with some confusion.

General Graycliffe frowned at Dr. Lamb, "It my help to explain that, in English, doctor,"

Dr. Lamb turned to the Senator and the Representative, "I'm sorry gentlemen. Daryl records his experiences over the course of the day. Most of the videos you just saw were recorded from Daryl's perspective. There is other telemetry data recorded as well. When he goes to sleep at night, he transfers the day's experiences to the computers at TASCOM. Now, the term biological sector refers to the hardware implanted in the boys head. It communicates by satellite with the mainframe computer at TASCOM when Daryl is 'asleep',"

The Representative and the Senator nodded slowly, as understanding dawned on their faces, "Alright, can you explain what reason you're making changes to the system at this late date?" Senator Blackman asked.

Dr. Lamb nodded, " Of course, sir. Daryl's communication system was not designed to allow differentiation between it and another like system. If we are going ahead with the adult prototype, then there will be another like system, as far as communication with TASCOM is concerned. In order to keep its existence a secret from Daryl and the Richardsons, there will need to be some way of keeping the communications of the two systems separate. That way the mainframe will know to store things separately. There were no plans in Daryl's initial design to allow two or more like systems to function separately at the same time. In hindsight, maybe we should have, but we didn't,"

"What other differences will there be between the young man we met today and the adult prototype? The adult won't have emotions, will it? We don't want that," Representative Mailor said, with a frown.

Dr. Lamb nodded, "In order to prevent that from occurring, we would need to minimize human interaction as much as possible,"

Representative Mailor nodded, "Are you ready to do that?"

Dr. Lamb nodded slowly, "I believe we are. If we need to take care of the adult prototype, we can always disconnect it's external sense organs. It was through them that Daryl learned to be what he is today,"

Senator Blackman nodded, "What would that prevent?"

"It would prevent the adult prototype learning about human emotion, it would not develop emotions after the computer hardware was implanted," Dr. Lamb explained.

The Senator and the Representative nodded, "Did Daryl learn about emotions because he interacted with you and your staff?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, then explained about Dr. Mulligan's interactions and relationship with Daryl before he helped Daryl escape from TASCOM for the first time.

Representative Mailor nodded his head gravely, "But you know how to prevent this from happening with the adult prototype?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Also, since it will be an adult, the chance for emotional connection should be less. Dr. Mulligan, who took care of Daryl day-to-day, got attached to him,"

"That then, I suppose, brings us to our next question," Senator Blackman paused, "How do you intend on getting the life form for this adult prototype?"

Dr. Lamb sat back and glanced at General Graycliffe, "Would a young soldier be willing to effectively give his life for his country even in peacetime?"

Representative Mailor raised an eyebrow in Dr. Lamb's direction, "Are you suggesting we make a young soldier disappear?"

General Graycliffe nodded, answering for Dr. Lamb, "Effectively, sir. Can we find one with no family to leave behind?"

Senator Blackman glanced back and forth between Dr. Lamb and General Graycliffe, while slowly shaking and nodding his head, "I'm not sure I like the idea, but we can give you access to the service records of the army. If you can find one with no family to leave behind, and a minimum of time in the service, so they have few personal connections in the service, than we may be able to do something about this,"

General Graycliffe nodded slowly, gravely, "Thank you, Senator,"

Dr. Lamb nodded silently.

Representative Mailor nodded back, "When will things be ready for the change over in communication?"

"If I can get back to Florida in a couple of days, I could be done by the end of the week," Dr. Lamb said.

"When could the biological sector software be updated?" Representative Mailor asked.

"By the weekend, if I finished the biological sector programming by then," Dr. Lamb said.

"Could the biological sector software in the boy be updated without the knowledge of the boy or his adoptive family?" Senator Blackman asked.

Dr. Lamb sighed, "He would have to come back to TASCOM for his update and subsequent testing,"

Senator Blackman frowned, "Cover story, doctor?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I understand. We still need to test some of his more peculiar abilities which he already has, such as his ability to communicate directly with computers over short range,"

Representative Mailor sat forward suddenly, "What are you saying, doctor?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Over the range of a couple of feet, Daryl's biological sector can directly interface with other logic circuits nearby. He does seem to have conscious control of this ability,"

Senator Blackman raised an eyebrow, "How will this ability affect the separation between the boy's communication with the TASCOM mainframe, and more importantly, how will it affect the method for keeping the other life form hidden from him,"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "I understand sir, but this ability has a range of only a few feet. Daryl's long-range communication with TASCOM is by satellite. That's always how it's been. That is where the separation will be maintained. He may need to be restricted from entering the TASCOM data-centre though. He hasn't been in there since before the implant. He occasionally was there when he was off school or daycare. He of course, has no recollection of that since it was before the biological sector was implanted in him,"

General Graycliffe looked from Dr. Lamb to the politicians, "We can test his abilities when we bring him back to TASCOM, before making the changes to his communications system,"

"Wouldn't he be able to see the changes you are planning for him, if he directly interfaced with the mainframe?" Senator Blackman asked.

Dr. Lamb shook her head slowly, "We believe he can only access and modify running programs. Since the program you're speaking of wouldn't be running, he wouldn't see it, unless he looked it up as any of us might. But of course, we won't tell him about it, so he would have no idea that it's there to be found,"

Representative Mailor nodded, understanding, "Just in case your understanding isn't as complete as you think, is there any further way to prevent him from accessing the new program?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Certainly, we can remove the drive pack from the the drive while Daryl is in the data centre, or even for most of his visit to TASCOM. We can remount it when we want to access it ourselves to upload its contents into him,"

Representative Mailor nodded again, "Thank you doctor. I think that will be all for today, General,"

General Graycliffe stood, "Thank you, sir,"

Senator Blackman stood up, "You two may be dismissed,"

Dr. Lamb stood as well, "What do we tell the Richardsons?"

Representative Mailor cleared his throat as he stood up, "You can tell them that the project is continuing, but that you need to see Daryl at TASCOM at some point in the near future. Of course, you can't explain why,"

"Not even about the extra testing?" Dr. Lamb enquired.

Representative Mailor nodded, "Alright, you can use that as the cover story to explain it to them. After all, you plan on doing that as well during that visit I assume?"

Dr. Lamb nodded, "Yes. Thank you, gentlemen,"

General Graycliffe saluted the politicians, then turned for the door, "Coming, doctor?"

Dr. Lamb turned and followed after General Graycliffe,

General Graycliffe held the door open, and they walked through the door, one after the other.


End file.
